DOVER DISTRICT
STATELY HOMES, CASTLES & TOWERS
Kent is home to various stately homes, country houses, castles, and towers, some of which have intriguing stories of hauntings throughout history. Notable figures like Sir Winston Churchill and Charles Darwin are linked to some of these locations. Additionally, there are lesser-known treasures that hold their own surprises.
Here is what has been found so far in the Dover District
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Please note that not all of these sites are publicly accessible, as some may be located on private property. Be sure to check in advance and obtain permission if necessary. Do not trespass!
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If you know of any sites that are missing or have heard reports of paranormal activity at any stately homes Castle & Towers not mentioned here, please get in touch. Thank you.
DEAL CASTLE
MARINE ROAD, DEAL, KENT, CT14
**PARANORMAL ACTIVITY**
Reportedly, apparitions of soldiers have been seen, particularly in the bakery and round areas of the castle. Two visiting friends claimed to have seen a white figure on the stairs in Dungeon One, heard chains in the dungeon, and captured a photo that appears to show a little girl, which they sent to Haunted Scotland. Other visitors have experienced sudden chills and a sense of not being alone. Additionally, Spirit Research NE has published a possible ghostly image in their video titled "Haunted Kent—Deal Castle."
**HISTORY**
Deal Castle, a 16th-century coastal artillery fort, is situated between Walmer Castle and the now-gone Sandown Castle in Deal, Kent.
In 1538, when Francis I, King of France, signed an alliance with Holy Roman Emperor Charles V, England under Henry VIII faced threats from these two powerful nations. Henry VIII's foreign policy relied on pitting France and the Empire against each other, so the new alliance posed an immediate danger to England. In response, Henry launched a significant building project to construct a series of forts along the English coast, marking the most considerable defensive effort since the Romans established Saxon shore forts over a thousand years earlier.
Deal Castle was built between 1539 and 1540 to counter this invasion threat. Deal's coastal area provided enemy forces with easy access. The fort was designed to be low to the ground, minimizing its target profile for attackers. It is one of the Device Forts, also known as Henrician Castles, aimed at dominating the Downs, a sheltered area of water in the English Channel protected by the Goodwin Sands—an ideal location for an invasion fleet to gather.
Initially, the three forts were connected by a two-mile-long "fosse" or rampart, reinforced with three small earthen "bulwarks." Antiquarian William Stukeley documented these earthworks in 1725. While the earthworks are no longer present, the Henrician forts of Walmer and Deal still stand.
The entire defence scheme for the Downs was completed by the autumn of 1540. The resulting design resembled a Tudor rose symbol, likely influencing the aesthetic aspects but primarily crafted for practical defence.
It's reported that Anne of Cleves stayed at Deal following her lengthy voyage from Europe and departed from there to London for her significant meeting with King Henry.
During the Civil War, Deal Castle faced a siege, experiencing an attempt by Royalist warships on July 28, 1648, to relieve it. After three weeks of unsuccessful attempts to land a relief force, Royalist troops managed to land 800 soldiers and sailors on August 13 under the cover of darkness. They could have surprised the besieging Parliamentarian forces had it not been for a Royalist deserter who alerted the castle in time to mount a defence, resulting in most Royalists escaping back to their ships, with only a few retreating to Sandown Castle.
Another landing attempt soon after also failed. On August 23, a message was fired into Deal Castle via an arrow, announcing Cromwell's victory at Preston, which crushed Royalist hopes. Two days later, Deal's garrison surrendered, followed by Sandown on September 5, effectively ending the Kentish rebellion, after which the region did not engage in further military actions. Colonel Nathaniel Rich, who supported Parliament during the English Civil War, became Captain of Deal Castle and held that position until 1653, when he spent approximately £500 on repairs.
Deal Castle was fortified during the Napoleonic Wars, undergoing many alterations during the 18th and 19th centuries.
The Governor's lodgings were reconstructed at the start of the 19th century, only to be destroyed by German bombs during World War II in 1941.
From May 1940 until September 1944, the castle served as a Battery Observation Post. It accommodated the nearby Deal Emergency Coastal Battery, which housed 6-inch naval guns.
It was the official residence of the Captain of the Cinque Ports, but English Heritage has owned it since 1951.
Today, visitors can explore the entire castle, including the storerooms and the first-floor captain's residence, and enjoy a walk around the defences to admire the squat, rounded bastions and cannons.
DOVER CASTLE
CASTLE HILL RD, DOVER CT16
**PARANORMAL ACTIVITY**
A phantom headless young drummer boy believed to be from the Napoleonic period has been seen wandering along the battlements and entering the solid walls of the old keep. This area also has a woman in a flowing red dress and a male spectre dressed as a cavalier.
In the underground tunnels, previously known as Hellfire Corner, witnesses have reported encountering several World War II soldiers.
Witnesses have reported seeing the ghost of a half-man walking through a doorway in the king's bedroom. They also heard screams and cries, which they initially thought were real sound effects until staff informed them that no such recreations were happening in the castle.
**HISTORY**
In Kent, overlooking the sea and protecting England's south-eastern coast, lies the massive Dover Castle. It is the largest castle in England and has been referred to as the "Key to England" due to its historical defensive significance.
The first castle built on this site was made entirely of clay, which eventually collapsed. The clay was then repurposed as flooring for many of the ground-floor rooms.
Defensive structures have been discovered at this location, possibly dating back to the pre-Roman period.
It is believed that the site may have been fortified with earthworks during the Iron Age or even earlier before the Romans invaded in AD 43. This theory is supported by the unusual pattern of the earthworks, which does not align perfectly with the medieval castle layout. Excavations have provided evidence of Iron Age occupation in the vicinity.
The site also includes St Mary de Castro, a church on the grounds. This heavily restored Saxon structure serves the local population and the army and is the church of the Dover Garrison. It was built adjacent to a Roman lighthouse, which now serves as the church bell tower. This lighthouse is one of two surviving 80-foot (24 m) Roman lighthouses. At the same time, the remnants of the other are found on the opposing Western Heights, across the town of Dover. Additionally, the site features a classic montrol (campsite) where the Normans landed after their successful conquest.
After the Battle of Hastings in October 1066, William the Conqueror marched to Dover following his coronation at Westminster. The castle was reported to be impregnable and was held by a large force. Fearful of his approach, the English defenders lost confidence in their ramparts and the number of troops at their disposal. While the Norman inhabitants prepared to surrender unconditionally, they set the castle on fire, which rapidly engulfed a significant portion of it in flames. William then took possession of the castle, paid for its repairs, and spent eight days adding new fortifications.
In 1088, eight knights were appointed with tenures to guard Dover Castle. They were William d'Albrincis, Fulberl de Dover, William d'Arsic, Geoffrey Peverell, William Maminot, Robert du Port, Hugh Crevecoeur, and Adam Fitzwilliam.
Most of the castle that we see today was constructed during the reign of Henry II in the late 12th century, and significant rebuilding gave it a recognizable shape. The inner and outer baileys, along with the great keep, were built during this time. Maurice, the Engineer, was responsible for constructing the keep, which is one of the last rectangular keeps ever built.
In the early 13th century, King John established England's first royal fleet and completed the castle's outer defences. The year 1216 marked the beginning of the Great Siege. After King John failed to honour the Magna Carta, Prince Louis of France invaded England and besieged Dover Castle. Still, a few hundred men successfully defended it.
Under Henry III, Dover Castle became England's largest and most strategically important castle. During the mid-13th century, Simon de Montfort challenged Henry III's government and captured Dover Castle. Edward I was briefly imprisoned there. After de Montfort was killed in battle, his wife, Eleanor, defended Dover with a mere 29 archers. Still, she was forced to surrender to Prince Edward when he brought reinforcements from London.
During the English Civil Wars, fewer battles occurred, with more miniature castles along the Kent coast being targeted instead. In the 18th century, European threats prompted upgrades to the castle's defences. During the Revolutionary and Napoleonic wars, tunnels were dug beneath the castle for secret access and escape.
In the 1890s, the Great Tower was furnished and decorated for public access.
In the early 1900s, several parts of the castle were transferred to the Ministry of Works.
During World War II, the tunnels served as service headquarters and were the planning site for the Dunkirk evacuation.
In 1956, the castle was decommissioned for military use.
The tunnels were renovated in the 1960s and 1980s to serve as one of twelve regional seats of government in the event of nuclear war.
Finally, in 1963, the castle was transferred to the Ministry of Works and placed under public care.
According to tradition, the Arthurian hero Sir Gawain is said to be buried here
RICHBOROUGH CASTLE
RICHBOROUGH RD, SANDWICH CT13
**PARANORMAL ACTIVITY**
Witnesses have reported seeing spectral Roman armies march into the sea during World War II. The fort used to overlook a port now two miles away from the sea. In recent years, people have primarily heard just the sounds of marching feet, but some have claimed to see the soldiers as if they were emerging from a mist.
**HISTORY**
Richborough Castle features the ruins of a Roman Saxon Shore fort, commonly known as Richborough Fort or Richborough Roman Fort. It is in Richborough, near Sandwich, Kent. The Romans established the settlement of Rutupiae, also called Portus Ritupis, after they invaded Britain in AD 43. Due to its strategic position near the mouth of the River Stour, Rutupiae served as the primary British port during Roman times and was the starting point for their equivalent of Watling Street. Additional routes connected Durovernum (Canterbury) with other ports at Dubris (Dover), Lemanis (Lympne), and Regulbium (Reculver). Earth fortifications were first constructed at the site in the 1st century, likely serving as a storage depot and bridgehead for the Roman army.
Earthworks defended the initial site, and in AD 85, an 80-foot-high arch covered in marble was built to commemorate the conquest of Britain. The original fort was demolished in AD275. New stone walls were added in AD290, transforming it into one of the most significant Saxon Shore forts. This fort later evolved into a civilian and commercial town. Although the walls on three sides of the fort and the surrounding earthworks remain standing, only the foundations of the arch are left today. When the fort was initially constructed, it was surrounded by water on three sides; however, the silting of the Wantsum Channel, which once separated the Isle of Thanet from the rest of Kent, has left it two miles from the current seashore. The later fort is believed to have been built by the rebel Carausius.
Currently, English Heritage owns the fort, and it is open daily throughout the summer and on weekends during the winter.
SANDOWN CASTLE
271 SANDOWN RD, DEAL CT14
**PARANORMAL ACTIVITY**
Spirit ResearchNE was witness to an apparition here in the mid-1990s. One evening, while doing some light investigations at the ruins, he saw the apparition of a sad-looking woman dressed in a dress of yellow/gold tones, possibly 17th century, along with half a dozen guards, wearing tunics with black and red-coloured sleeves and breastplates, wearing Marian-style helmets and carrying pikes. They seemed to be making sure she didn't get away. No sooner had they appeared than they vanished, and although he had been back there many times, that was the only time he saw the visitation.
**HISTORY**
It was built between 1537 and 1540 on a very similar design to that used for Walmer Castle.
Sandown was one of the three castles built on the orders of Henry VIII to guard the sea off Deal. When Francis I, King of France, signed an alliance with the Holy Roman Emperor, Charles V, in 1538, Henry VIII's England was threatened by the combined might of the two European superpowers. Henry's foreign policy had relied on playing off France and the Empire against each other. Still, an alliance between the two put England under immediate threat. Henry's response was to launch a massive building project, erecting a series of forts along the English coast, the largest coastal defence project since the Romans built a series of Saxon shore forts over 1000 years ago. Henry linked the three new forts with an earthwork interspersed with bastions. The earthworks are long gone, but the Henrican forts at Walmer and Deal remain.
The invasion scares passed without incident, and it wasn't until the Second Civil War that Sandown Castle saw action.
In 1648, the Navy, which dominated the area and had supported Parliament, changed sides, taking all three 'Downs' castles into Royalist hands. The rebellion was suppressed at the Battle of Maidstone. Still, all three castles fought on and were besieged by Parliamentary forces in June, ultimately forced to surrender on 23 August.
The castle remained garrisoned until the Napoleonic period, but by this stage, the sea had defeated the castle. In 1785, seawater broke into the dry moat.
It was remodelled in 1805 and garrisoned to assist in the defences against Napoleon before finally becoming ruins in 1863, with most of it sold for building materials.
By 1882, it had been largely demolished, and what little remained was eventually incorporated into the sea defences built in 1979. Almost nothing now remains except groundwork.
The grounds are now tended as a community garden and maintained by the Sandown Castle Community Garden Group, a group of residents who want to retain the area as a pleasant place to linger.
WALMER CASTLE
KINGSDOWN RD, WALMER, DEAL CT14
**PARANORMAL ACTIVITY**
No online reports of the Castle Ghosts were found. Still, a YouTube video named 'Halloween at the Most Haunted Basement and Soldiers Kitchen at Walmer Castle' (which gives no evidence), and the same blogger did a story on Blogspot with a disputable 'ghost picture.'
There is also a story about a ghostly Redcoat who patrols up and down a particular footpath by the side of Walmer Castle, which has been investigated several times by Spirit Research NE, who says he felt "Militaristic" as he walked the path and captured some E.V.P.s. More research is needed on whether this castle entertains some ghosts, so if you hear anything, please get in touch.
**HISTORY**
An artillery fort was initially built on the order of Henry VIII in 1539 and is smaller in size than nearby Deal Castle.
Originally a Tudor Artillery Fortress, it formed part of the King's Device to protect against invasion from France and the Holy Roman Empire and defended the necessary Downs anchorage off the English coast. It comprised a keep and four circular bastions; the moated stone castle covered 0.61 acres (0.25 ha) and had 39 firing positions on the upper levels for artillery.
The three Forts (Walmer, Deal, and now gone - Sandown) were connected by earthwork defences. The original invasion threat passed, but during the Second English Civil War of 1648–49, Walmer was seized by pro-Royalist insurgents and was only retaken by Parliamentary forces after several months of fighting, succumbing to a murderous mortar bombardment in July 1648.
From the 18th Century, Walmer Castle had evolved into a homely residence, first being the official residence of the Lord Warden of the Cinque Ports, and was gradually modified from a military fortification into a private residence for the appointed Lord Wardens like William Pitt, the Duke of Wellington, who died in his room at Walmer on 14 September 1852. His body was kept in a death chamber in his room to lie in state until 10 November, and when the room was opened for public visitors during the final two days, around 9,000 attended. The Duke's body was finally removed to London via Deal, complete with a military escort
Lord Granville, in 1865, adapted parts of the Tudor castle as living spaces and constructed extensive gardens around the property.
Lord Wardens continued to use the property, but it was also opened to the public. Walmer was no longer considered an exceptionally comfortable or modern residence.
By 1904, the War Office agreed that Walmer had no remaining military utility, and it passed to the Ministry of Works.
William Lygon, Earl Beauchamp, became the Lord Warden in 1913 and built a Roman Catholic chapel at the castle and would hold large parties there each summer. Lygon had sexual relations with men, which was illegal in England during this period, and rumours spread about the parties that he had held at Walmer Castle after the war. It is said he had "behaved indiscreetly with young men," soon, the King was informed about his lifestyle, leading Lygon to flee the country in 1931.
Since the Second World War, Lord Wardens have included Winston Churchill, Robert Menzies, and Queen Elizabeth The Queen Mother.
The gardens of Walmer Castle date mainly from the 1790s and 1860s and comprise around 32 acres (13 ha) of land split evenly between formal ornamental gardens and parkland.
In the 21st century, English Heritage manages the property, and improvements to the castle in 2015 have enhanced the visitors' experience.
The castle is protected under UK law as a scheduled monument. In contrast, the surrounding gardens are protected with a grade II listing.
The castle and grounds are closed between the 11th and 13th of July when the Lord Warden resides in the apartments above the gatehouse.