Name: Dover Castle
Address: Castle Hill, Dover, Kent, CT16 1HU
Telephone: 0370 333 1181

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Dover Castle

Dover Castle is open for you to visit. You now need to book your timed tickets in advance. We have introduced limits on visitor numbers to help keep everyone safe, and you won’t be able to visit without your booking confirmation. If you’re a Member, your ticket will be free, but you still need to book in advance. There are other new steps in place to ensure everyone’s safety, and some areas of the site remain closed to aid social distancing. Please ensure you have read the information on this page before booking your visit.

How to Book your visit

Read our FAQ

Explore the Battlements

Climb the medieval Great Tower

Spooky Dover Castle Sat 24 Oct - Sun 1 Nov 2020

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Open Daily 10am - 5pm

See full prices and opening times

Address

Castle Hill, Dover, Kent, CT16 1HU

Book your visit

Please Note - The Secret Wartime Tunnels and Underground hospital remain closed as their historic interiors are not suitable for socially distanced visits. To reflect the changes we’ve made at Dover Castle to enable social-distancing, we are currently offering a special reduced price of entry during autumn 2020. For more detail please see our prices and opening times page.

What you need to know

We've made some changes to help keep you safe, and things might be a little different when you visit. Here's everything you need to know.

Do we need to Book?

Advance booking is now essential. We have introduced limits on visitor numbers to help keep everyone safe, and you won’t be able to visit without your booking confirmation. If you’re a Member, your ticket will be free, but you still need to book in advance. Make sure you've read our ticketing FAQ before you book.

Book Tickets

Booking FAQs

What parts of the site are closed?
Castle Tunnels – The Secret Wartime Tunnels and Underground Hospital remain closed. The castle's medieval tunnels are open for you to explore.

The Bunker – the Bunker escape room remains closed.

St Mary in Castro - The Church remains closed.

Mobility Assistance Vehicle - Due to the need to maintain social distancing, we are not currently able to offer the mobility assistance vehicle on site.

What changes have you made to your facilities?
Shop - The Great Tower shop will be open,with a new one way system in place.

Toilets - The castle's toilet facilities will be open. Additional hand sanitising stations will be available in various locations.

Plan your Visit

How are you keeping us safe?

We've made a number of changes to help keep you safe. Although things might be a little different when you visit, you’ll still be able to enjoy exploring the places where history really happened. And you’ll still be given a warm and safe welcome by our friendly – if socially distant – staff and volunteers.

To maintain social distancing, we've introduced one way routes through the Great Tower and other indoor areas, and some interactive displays will be unavailable.

You can visit our reopening page for information on general safety measures we've taken to help keep you safe.

General Safety Information

Do I need to wear a face covering?

Face coverings must be worn in all indoor areas. We won't be able to provide you with a face covering, so please come prepared so you don't miss out.

I still have questions.

The answers to all frequently asked questions can be found on our FAQ page.

Read our FAQs

Spooky Dover Castle

Looking for a spooktacular day out with your little ones this October halfterm?

Gather your little monsters for a ghoulishly good day out at Dover Castle. Follow the trail to solve creepy clues and gather round to listen to spooky stories. Then steady your nerves and come face to face with some creepy creatures. There’s a frighteningly fun fancy dress competition every day – just come in your scariest outfits to be in with a chance of winning.

Find out more

Things to See and Do

What's On

Spooky Dover Castle

Sat 24 Oct - Sun 1 Nov 2020 10am - 5pm
Christmas Adventure Quest

Sat 26 Dec 2020 - Sun 3 Jan 2021 10am - 4pm

Dover Castle Timeline

800 BC - AD 43Iron Age Hillfort

Massive earth ramparts and ditches are constructed, which will provide the foundation for the medieval castle's curtain walls. Regular cross-Channel trading takes place.

115-40A Roman Lighthouse

The Romans build a lighthouse here to guide ships into the harbour, the base of the fleet patrolling the Channel.

7th CenturyMinster Church

Eadbald, King of Kent, founds a minster church for 22 monks in the 'castrum' of Dover - either the Roman fort in the town or the hillfort on the headland.

10th-Early 11th CenturySt Mary's Church

The church of St Mary in Castro is built beside the lighthouse.

1066Norman Castle

William the Conqueror defeats King Harold, then turns to Dover. He takes the town, burns it, and builds fortifications there, before heading to London for his coronation.

Find out more about the history of Dover Castle

1180-89The Castle Rebuilt

Henry II rebuilds Dover Castle, spending vast sums on it. It is the most expensive castle project of its time.

1205-15First Royal Fleet

King John establishes the first royal fleet and completes the castle's outer defences.

1216-17Great Siege

After King John reneges on Magna Carta, Prince Louis of France invades England and besieges Dover Castle. It is successfully defended by a few hundred men.

1217-56The Castle Completed

Under Henry III, enormous sums are spent strengthening Dover, making it one of the largest and most strategically important castles in England.

1263-65De Montfort's Dover

Simon de Montfort challenges Henry III's government and captures Dover Castle. The future Edward I is briefly held prisoner here.

1265Countess Eleanor de Montfort

After de Montfort is killed in battle his wife, Eleanor, leads the defence of Dover, holding out with 29 archers. She is forced to surrender to Prince Edward when he brings troops from London.

1520Fit for an Emperor

On 25 May the Holy Roman Emperor, Charles V, arrives at Dover for a meeting with Henry VIII. The emperor probably stays in the great tower.

1625-6Castle in Decline

Henrietta Maria, the teenage French princess, occupies the castle but is said to be 'poorly accommodated'. It is later refurbished by George Villiers, 1st Duke of Buckingham.

1642Civil War

The garrison of 20 remains loyal to Charles I. A daring merchant called Drake and 11 men scale the cliffs and take the castle for Parliament, with few shots fired.

18th CenturyExpert Defences

England faces the threat of French invasion, so the defences are upgraded.

1793-1815Revolutionary and Napoleonic Wars

Huge sums are spent on the town and castle defences. Barracks are constructed in a complex of tunnels beneath the castle.

1850sAnother Napoleon

Major renovations take place again with the threat of invasion from Napoleon III.

1890sHistorical Appreciation

The top floor of the Great Tower is furnished with displays of armour and opened to the public.

1904State Care

The church of St Mary in Castro, Roman lighthouse and Colton's Gate are transferred to the Ancient Monuments Branch of the Ministry of Works.

1939-45Second World War

The Napoleonic tunnels have a new role as naval and later combined services headquarters, where the Dunkirk evacuation is masterminded. Air attacks earn the area around Dover the nickname 'Hellfire Corner'.

1956End of Military Use

The castle's last gun batteries are scrapped.

1962-1980sFinal Secret

After the Cuban Missile Crisis, the tunnels are renovated and equipped to serve as one of 12 regional seats of government in the event of nuclear war.