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Monument details

HER Number:TR 34 SW 2492
Type of record:Building
Name:Palace Gateway, inner bailey, Dover Castle

Summary

The Palace Gate, which is part of the original medieval (1180’s) construction and is located on the south eastern side of the inner bailey, was the principal entry to the inner bailey from the barbican in the middle bailey. The gate was modernised, and the lifting bridge was added in the 1850s. (location accurate to the nearest 1m based on available information)


Grid Reference:TR 3250 4190
Map Sheet:TR34SW
Parish:DOVER, DOVER, KENT

Monument Types

  • GATE (Medieval to Modern - 1181 AD to 2050 AD)
  • TOWER (Disused, Medieval to Modern - 1181 AD to 2050 AD)

Full description

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The Palace Gate, which is part of the original medieval (1180’s) construction and is located on the south eastern side of the inner bailey, was the principal entry to the inner bailey from the barbican in the middle bailey. The gate was modernised, and the lifting bridge was added in the 1850s.

In common with the King’s Gate, the Palace Gate was placed between two closely-spaced towers that greatly increase the level of protection and reduce the vulnerability of the gates. Only the western side of the gate functioned as a gate tower with a porter’s lodge and a loop overlooking the approach, while the eastern gate was one of the mural towers with no openings towards the gate. The gate itself dates entirely from the final military modernisations of the 1850s, and the existing lifting-bridge, worked on a counterpoise system with the upper-hung or falling gate, dates from the 1850s. The Palace Gate once led into a now-destroyed southern barbican. (summarised from sources) (1-3)


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 English Heritage, 2014, Dover Castle Conservation Management Plan Volume 2 Gazetteer (Unpublished document).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

<2> Johnathan Coad, 1995, English Heritage Book of Dover Castle and the Defences of Dover (Monograph). SKE52106.

<3> John Bereblock, 1570, John Bereblock's view of Dover Castle (Cartographic materials). SKE52107.

Sources and further reading

Cross-ref. Source description
<1>XYUnpublished document: English Heritage. 2014. Dover Castle Conservation Management Plan Volume 2 Gazetteer. [Mapped feature: #102126 Palace gate, ]
<2>Monograph: Johnathan Coad. 1995. English Heritage Book of Dover Castle and the Defences of Dover.
<3>Cartographic materials: John Bereblock. 1570. John Bereblock's view of Dover Castle.

Related records

TR 34 SW 5Part of: Dover Castle (Monument)