Exploring Kent's Past

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Monument details

Summary

The eastern defences of Dover Castle including the length of wall between Fitzwilliam and Avranches (part of Avranches Traverse), facing a higher area of chalk downland, form an important aspect of the castle’s defences and are largely medieval in origin, although greatly altered in the 18th and 19th centuries. (location accurate to the nearest 1m based on available information)

Monument Types

• TOWER (Disused, Medieval to Post Medieval - 1190 AD? to 1800 AD?)
• WALL (Altered, Medieval to Modern - 1190 AD? to 2050 AD)

Full description

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The eastern defences of Dover Castle including the length of wall between Fitzwilliam and Avranches, facing a higher area of chalk downland, form an important aspect of the castle’s defences and are largely medieval in origin, although greatly altered in the 18th and 19th centuries.

The Avranches traverse is part of the original medieval construction which was likely completed by c. 1190 and possibly follows the line of the Iron Age Hillfort. The surviving C12th works are located to the east of Fitzwilliam’s gate as far as Avranches Tower, the primary circuit then turned south (across the probable Iron-Age entrance), in a length sweeping the south-eastern ditch of the Avranches Flank. It was designed to defend as well as to block the original entrance to Dover Castle. The length of wall between Fitzwilliam to Avranches has a battered base and two mural towers. None of this is seen on the interior, being buried in a reformed inner rampart. This section is notable for its sophisticated defences. These take the form of regularly-spaced firing-loops built into the lower level of the curtain and the two rectangular mural towers. The arrow slits were aligned and built for the use of the crossbowmen and they needed minimal alteration to the needs of the musket and the pistol in the C18th and C19th. To upgrade the castle for artillery warfare, major modifications took place in the 1750s. Both the curtain and towers were reduced in height and backed with a massive earth rampart to allow guns to be mounted here and to provide a clear field of fire for Bell Battery. The whole of the inner bank and curtain were remodelled north from Avranches Tower to the Norfolk Towers. (summarised from sources) (1-3)

<1> D. F. Renn, 1969, Archaeologia Cantiana: The Avranches Traverse Dover Castle (Article in serial). SKE52130.

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

<3> English Heritage, 2014, Dover Castle Conservation Management Plan Volume 2 Gazetteer (Unpublished document). SKE52105.

Sources and further reading

Related records