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WALMER CASTLE

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Walmer Castle, a Henrician artillery castle, was built in 1539 by Henry VIII as part of his chain of coastal defences in response to the threat of invasion from Catholic forces. The castle was built along with Sandown and Deal Castles to protect the good landing grounds and strategic anchorage between the Goodwin Sands and the coast, known as the Downs. In 1648, during the Civil War, the castle was captured by Royalists and held for a number of weeks. A number of repairs and alterations have been carried out on the castle. In circa 1730 the castle was enlarged and converted into the official residence of the Lord Warden of the Cinque Ports. Important alterations were carried out in 1874 and during the Second World War a pill box was established there.

Walmer castle consisted of a three-storey circular tower surrounded by four low semicircular bastions connected by a curtain wall. These had gun-platforms on their upper levels to support heavy guns. Contemporary illustrations show that the central tower and bastions were originally capped by broad rounded parapets pierced by gun embrasures. The castle buildings were also protected by a stone-lined dry moat and there was a gatehouse in the north western bastion which contained a number of defensive features including eight murder holes. The lower levels of the outer wall have gun-loops or ports which provided flanking cover of the bottom of the moat. Walmer was linked to its sister castles of Deal and Sandown by a series of bulwarks, or earthen defences, built along the coast between them.

Since the early 18th century, Walmer Castle has been the official residence of the Lord Warden of the Cinque Ports. The alterations carried out during the 18th and 19th centuries were to create a residence in keeping with this role. One famous resident Lord Warden was the Duke of Wellington, who actually died at the castle.

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[TR 37755010] Walmer Castle [NR]. (1)

Walmer Castle - 1539. The official residence of the Lord Warden of the Cinque Ports. (2)

Walmer Castle, in the care of the Ministry of Public Building and Works, is maintained in excellent condition and is as described in the Ministry Guide Book "Deal and Walmer Castles". (Open to the public). (3-4)

Walmer Castle. Grade II. Walmer Castle circa 1539 for Henry VIII, built as moated coastal fortification, residential additions circa 1730 for the Duke of Dorset, as Lord Warden of the Cinque Ports, enlarged 1874 by G Devey for Lord Granville. The moat originally filled by tidal water, but dry by circa 1800. In centre of northern meadow, a pillbox constructed 1940. (5)

For a detailed source please refer to this text. (6)

Please refer to these sources for an additional bibliography. (7-21)

This source includes an archaeological and historical description. (22)

Walmer castle consisted of a central tower surrounded by four lower rounded bastions, a dry moat and an outer curtain wall. There were three tiers of guns (a possible fourth in a basement gallery) and there were 39 openings for large guns and 31 for hand guns. The castle had double splays, casemates, smoke vents and ammunition lockers. (23)

Walmer Castle has evolved over time from an artillery castle into an elegant residence. It became the residence of the Lord Warden of the Cinque Ports in 1708 and successive wardens have left their mark on the castle and grounds. One famous resident Lord Warden was the Duke of Wellington and a number of his personal belongings have been preserved and are on display. Private apartments were created above the gatehouse and the former Australian Prime Minister, Robert Menzies, and Queen Elizabeth, the Queen Mother, were regular visitors. The gardens that surround the former castle include a commemorative lawn, woodland walk, croquet lawn and kitchen garden. (24)

The castle has been substantially altered and repaired over the centuries. It is built of Kentish ragstone, brick, and Caen stone reused from nearby disused religious houses. It was designed around an essentially circular, symmetrical plan and originally included 39 positions for heavy guns and many smaller hand-gun embrasures on four tiers. At the centre of the original castle is a three-storeyed circular tower, originally with a central newel
staircase, which no longer survives. This provided accommodation for the permanent garrison; originally a captain, deputy, porter, ten gunners and four soldiers. The rib-vaulted basement originally housed the well and was used to store ammunition and supplies. Surrounding the central keep are four low semicircular bastions connected by a curtain wall. These provided gun-platforms on their upper levels for heavy guns. There is a continuous gallery within the outer wall of the basement of the bastions which is pierced by 32 hand-gun ports to provide flanking cover of the bottom of the moat. Contemporary illustrations show that central tower and bastions were originally capped by broad rounded parapets pierced by gun embrasures. The castle buildings were also protected by a stone-lined dry moat.
The gatehouse was located in the north western bastion and had a number of defensive features including eight murder holes, or vents and a staggered approach to the ward and citadel. The outer defences were originally augmented by a series of bulwarks, or earthen defences, built along the coast between the castle and its sister castles at Deal and Sandown.
The castle saw no action until the Civil War when, during the Royalist revolt in Kent in 1648, the castles of the Downs were captured and held out against Parliamentary forces for several weeks. The garrison's accommodation was improved at the beginning of the 18th century.
Since the early 18th century, Walmer Castle has been the official residence of the Lords Warden of the Cinque Ports. Alterations during the 18th and 19th centuries were designed to create a residence perceived to be commensurate with the dignity of the largely honorary office. The most extensive alterations were carried out by Lord Granville, Lord Warden between 1865-91.
Another famous resident Lord Warden was the Duke of Wellington who died at the castle.
For a full description please refer to the source. (25)

Two of the reported wrecks from the Battle of the Downs 1639 (1582748) were reported under Walmer Castle. (26)

SOURCE TEXT

( 1) Ordnance Survey Map (Scale / Date)

OS 25" 1957

( 2) List of Buildings of Special Architectural or Historic Interest

1035/11/A June 1947 Page(s)20

(3) A D Saunders 1963 Deal and Walmer Castles [guide book]

(4) Field Investigators Comments

F1 ASP 19-JUN-64

(5) General reference

Banks E. Flenley R. Neilson H. 1984. The Landscape of Walmer Castle

(6) by H M Colvin ... [et al] 1982 The history of the King's Works, volume 4 : 1485-1660 (Part 2)

Page(s)404-5,461-5, 552-7, 584-90

(7) Journal of the British Archaeological Association

39, 1883 Page(s)418-19

(8) by David J Cathcart King 1983 Castellarium anglicanum : an index and bibliography of the castles in England, Wales and the islands. Volume I : Anglesey - Montgomery

Page(s)235

(9) edited by William Page 1908 The Victoria history of the county of Kent, volume one

The Victoria history of the counties of England Page(s)444

(10) by R Allen Brown 1976 English castles

Page(s)110

(11) by Sidney Toy 1953 The castles of Great Britain

Page(s)266-7

(12) by B H St.J. O'Neil 1953 Castles : an introduction to the castles of England and Wales

Page(s)24, 56

(13) by Sidney Toy 1955 A history of fortification, from 3000 BC to AD 1700

Page(s)245-246

(14) Kent Archaeological Society Archaeologia Cantiana : being contributions to the history and archaeology of Kent

23, 1898 Page(s)24-30

(15) by D Bennett 1977 A handbook of Kent's defences from 1540 until 1945

Page(s)17, 30

(16) by John Newman 1983 North east and east Kent

The Buildings of England Page(s)489

(17) Country Life

88, 1940 Page(s)190-4

(18) Home Counties magazine

Page(s)149-151

(19) JD MACKENZIE 1897 CASTLES OF ENGLAND

Page(s)55

(20) Mariner's Mirror

1965 Page(s)155-171

(21) A D Saunders 1988 Deal and Walmer Castles [guide book]

Page(s)5-16,18-20,30-42

(22) English Heritage Register of parks and gardens of special historic interest in England

Kent Part 24

(23) Harrington, Peter 2007 The Castles of Henry VIII

Page(s)21

(24) 2009 English Heritage Visitor Handbook 2009/10

Page(s)74-5

(25) Scheduled Monument Notification

28-JUN-1996

(26) Oral information, correspondence (not archived) or staff comments

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