Exploring Kent's Past

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Monument details

Summary

Keep Yard 9, located on the south eastern side of the inner bailey, originated in the medieval period as the Duke of Suffolk’s lodgings, immediately north of the Palace Gate. The exact date of this building is unknown but, despite bening heavily altered in the 17th and 18th centuries, it appears to be substantially medieval with irregular rubble throughout. (location accurate to the nearest 1m based on available information)

Monument Types

• LODGINGS (Post Medieval - 1570 AD? to 1740 AD?)

Full description

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Keep Yard 9, located on the south eastern side of the inner bailey, originated in the medieval period as the Duke of Suffolk’s lodgings, immediately north of the Palace Gate. The exact date of this building is unknown but a building in this location is described in Bereblocks depiction as the Duke of Suffolk’s Palace, suggesting that it was present from at least the 1570’s onwards. (1) Like the buildings located along the north eastern and south eastern side of the inner bailey (Arthurs Hall etc.) This building appears to be substantially medieval with irregular rubble throughout. It may therefore be contemporary with the C12th and C13th buildings within the complex. (2-3) In the mid-1620s the former Duke of Suffolk’s Palace was revamped and new windows were created in its main elevation. Between 1625-1626 the Duke of Buckingham converted this building into the Lord Chamberlains lodgings for his use while staying at the castle. (4)

<1> John Bereblock, 1570, John Bereblock's view of Dover Castle (Cartographic materials). SKE52107.

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 English Heritage, 2010, Inner Bailey, Dover Castle, Kent; Historic Buildings Report (Unpublished document).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

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

<4> English Heritage, 2014, Dover Castle Conservation Management Plan Volume 2 Gazetteer (Unpublished document). SKE52105.

Sources and further reading

Related records