Exploring Kent's Past

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Monument details

Summary

Within the gable ends of the Regimental Museum (southern building) which is largley of an 18th century date, the presence of irregular rubble seems to indicate surviving medieval fabric, and most of this seems to date from the 13th century and possibly represents the former site of the 'King's Chamber' in this location. (location accurate to the nearest 1m based on available information)

Monument Types

• BUILDING (Medieval to Post Medieval - 1238 AD? to 1740 AD?)

Full description

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The Prince of Wales Royal Regimental Museum (southern building) which is located on the northern side of the inner bailey, to the west of Arthurs Hall 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. The presence of irregular rubble seems to indicate surviving medieval fabric, and most of this seems to date from the 13th century and possibly represents the former site of the 'King's Chamber' in this location. (1)

In 1284/5 there are references to repairs to the King’s Garderobe next to the Old Hall and the King’s Chamber next to the Old Hall. When these descriptions of the location are combined with references to the new hall, the most obvious interpretation is that the King’s Chamber lay to the north-west of Arthur’s Hall, with the Old Hall to the north-west of the chamber. Further reference is made to the Kings Chamber at the ‘End of the New Hall’ in 1238/9 and on the 1st of July 1240 repairs were to take place to the windows of the chapel and King’s Chamber, as a result of storm damage. Other documentary evidence also suggests that the King’s chamber was to the north-west of the hall, while the chapel was still the one in the forebuilding of the keep, and therefore two separate passages are being described. In 1277/8 reference is made to repairs and improvements taking place to the King’s chamber and the Queen’s chamber, and other references in 1283/4 and 1287/8 to the Queen’s side suggest she might have had accommodation outside the Great Tower. (1-4)

<1> English Heritage, 2010, Inner Bailey, Dover Castle, Kent; Historic Buildings Report (Unpublished document). SKE31743.

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 English Heritage, 2014, Dover Castle Conservation Management Plan Volume 2 Gazetteer (Unpublished document).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

<3> Johnathan Coad, 1995, English Heritage Book of Dover Castle and the Defences of Dover (Monograph). SKE52106.

<4> John Bereblock, 1570, John Bereblock's view of Dover Castle (Cartographic materials). SKE52107.

Sources and further reading

Related records