Exploring Kent's Past

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Monument details

Summary

Keep Yard 8, located on the south eastern side of the inner bailey, is one of the buildings within the inner bailey that appear as a group of mid-18th-century barrack blocks with a reasonably homogenous character. It is likely however that this building originated in the C14th century as an Armoury on the southern side of the Inner Bailey. (location accurate to the nearest 1m based on available information)

Monument Types

• OFFICERS QUARTERS (Post Medieval - 1745 AD? to 1870 AD?)
• STOREHOUSE (Post Medieval to Modern - 1870 AD to 1960 AD?)

Full description

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Keep Yard 8, located on the south eastern side of the inner bailey, is one of the buildings within the inner bailey that appear as a group of mid-18th-century barrack blocks with a reasonably homogenous character. Together with Building 9 it is the best example of a largely unaltered 18th century barracks, and was used for officers. The building provides space within the centre of the three mural towers on the south face of the inner bailey, allowing three rectangular barrack rooms on each floor. Those in the mural tower are lit by windows inserted in the west face; a doorway driven through the wall at ground floor level has subsequently been blocked. The internal partitions are mostly original and each room has a fireplace. The staircase appears to be original. The round-headed windows reflect that this building was designed for officers, as is the case with Building 3 and is confirmed by the 1756 plan. The interiors are comparable to earlier examples noted at Upnor barracks.(1-2)

A number of the buildings bear the date 1745 on rainwater heads, and Keep Yard 8 has a plaque on its façade (GEORG. II REST. MDCCXLV). (2)

<1> English Heritage, 2014, Dover Castle Conservation Management Plan Volume 2 Gazetteer (Unpublished document). SKE52105.

<2> English Heritage, 2010, Inner Bailey, Dover Castle, Kent; Historic Buildings Report (Unpublished document). SKE31743.

Sources and further reading

Related records