Skip to content
The Great Britain Guide

Castles · South East England

Dover Castle

Norman & medievalEnglish HeritagePaid admission♿ Wheelchair: limited

Dover Castle — medieval castle in Dover, Kent, England, UK.

Dover Castle, castles in Kent

Wikimedia Commons contributors — see linked file page for photographer and licence licence

Plan your visit

Typical visit
1.5 h–3 h
Nearest railway station
Dover Priory · 1.3 km
  • Paid entry
  • Family-friendly
  • Limited wheelchair access
Visit on english-heritage.org.uk

About

Dover Castle is a castle in the United Kingdom — fortified architecture from the medieval, Tudor, or Victorian-revival period. Records date its origin to 1179. Built in the medieval architecture style. Heritage designation: scheduled monument. Owned by English Heritage. Managed by English Heritage. Part of Dover Palmerston Forts. Address: CT16 1HU. Wikidata describes it as: "medieval castle in Dover, Kent, England, UK". Coordinates: 51.1283°, 1.3235°.

Photo gallery

Heritage listing

Dover Castle is a medieval castle in Dover, Kent, England and is Grade I listed. It was founded in the 11th century and has been described as the "Key to England" due to its defensive significance throughout history. Some sources say it is the largest castle in England, a title also claimed by Windsor Castle.

From the Historic England List Entry under OGL v3.

From English Heritage

High atop the iconic White Cliffs of Dover sits the most iconic of all English fortresses. From the mighty medieval keep to the labyrinth of secret wartime tunnels below, a family day out at Dover towers above all others.

Read more on the official property page.

Protected designations

  • Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty: Kent Downs

Designations sourced from Natural England open data under OGL v3.

From the Wikipedia article

Dover Castle is a medieval castle in Dover, Kent, England and is Grade I listed. It was founded in the 11th century and has been described as the "Key to England" due to its defensive significance throughout history. Some sources say it is the largest castle in England, a title also claimed by Windsor Castle.

Excerpt from Wikipedia under CC BY-SA 4.0. See the source article linked in Sources below.

Coordinates
51.1283, 1.3235
County
Kent
District
Dover
Parish
Dover
Postcode
CT16 1HU
Parliamentary constituency
Dover and Deal
Phone
0370 333 1181
Established
1179
Nearest railway station
Dover Priory1.3 km

Sources

Featured in these 6 guides

Other places nearby

Loading nearby places…

Nearby

More places run by English Heritage

Other castles from this era

More castles in this region

Frequently asked questions

Where is Dover Castle?
Dover Castle is in Kent, South-East England, United Kingdom (postcode CT16 1HU), in the parish of Dover.
When was Dover Castle built?
Built or established in 1179.
Who runs Dover Castle?
Dover Castle is operated by English Heritage.
Is Dover Castle a listed building?
Dover Castle is officially recognised as scheduled monument listed.
Is Dover Castle a protected site?
Yes — Dover Castle is part of the Kent Downs National Landscape (AONB).
Does Dover Castle charge admission?
Dover Castle typically charges admission. Check the official site for current ticket prices and opening hours.