Exploring Kent's Past

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Monument details

Summary

During excavations undertaken in 1967 within the barbican outside Constables Gate at Dover Castle, the footings of a former gateway to the barbican were uncovered on its northern side. The date of this date is not clear but is is of a possible early post medieval/Turdor Date. (location accurate to the nearest 1m based on availabel information)

Monument Types

• GATE (Demolished, Medieval to Post Medieval - 1485 AD? to 1603 AD?)

Full description

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The works of 1967 involved the removal of much of the upper filling between the retaining walls for the insertions of reinforced binders. The northern gate as exposed was not Medieval in date. The bases of the rubble jambs with a considerable internal splay, were laid over the remains of a solid threshold. The hard mixed rubble contained fragments of dark brown red brick, but the ashlar dressings of the doorway had been robbed. An ashlar parapet had been abutted to the jambs at least on the inner face of the ramp. There was nothing to date this plain and utilitarian gateway. It does not appear to be a mid C18th reconstruction and before that the latest considerable works probably date to the Tudor period. The outer splay could in fact be the base of the high stopped moulded outer order from the time of Henry VIII or Elizabeth I from the top of the threshold to present road level was 2.04m of which the first 45cm over the demolition level was black earth with glass and tiles, the rest was chalk capped by beach pebbles . (1)

<1> A. M. Cook, D. C. Mynard, & S. E. Rigold, 1969, Excavations at Dover Castle, Principally in the Inner Bailey A. M. Cook, D. C. Mynard, &S. E. Rigold (Article in serial). SKE52108.

Sources and further reading

Related records