Dover

Dover occupies a gap in the chalk cliffs at the narrowest crossing of the English Channel. Its harbour has long been a gateway between England and continental Europe, while the great castle above the town guards the route from the sea. Henry II's massive tower combined royal accommodation with a formidable defensive position.

The loss of Normandy in 1204 placed territory held by the French king close across the Channel. In 1216 the castle resisted a long and determined siege by Prince Louis of France, though the town itself remained vulnerable to raids. Its defences were repeatedly adapted as warfare changed. During the wars with revolutionary and Napoleonic France, soldiers were housed in barrack tunnels cut into the cliffs beneath the castle.