castle castle known castle 16th century device fort built near king henry viii protect sussex coast england french attack fortification site small round artillery tower constructed henry overlooking anchorage entrance harbour increasing tensions france encouraged henry coastal defence plans rebuilt extended year direction engineer results considered unsatisfactory work carried great expense problems result large concentric artillery fort central surrounded circular circular entrance built stone brick finished castle initially equipped brass iron artillery guns garrison men commanded captain seen service french fleet attacked coast operational value short lived surrounding began shipping coastline away fort eventually placing land furthermore fort superseded newer european military designs completed peace france later century removed requirement fort castle remained operational closed king outbreak civil war fortification dismantled parliamentary forces prevent ruins popular spot 18th 19th centuries painted plans castle tower local golf course came property second world war probably early warning site archaeological interest fort increased war taken state property bought private owners operated english_heritage reopened visitors extensive programme conservation fort unusual example device fort protected law grade listed building history 16th 17th centuries initial tower castle built approximately kilometres ports south coast england overlooking body water called mouth rivers towns strategic chain maritime towns responsible providing ships king navy harbour 16th century limiting utility similar problems beginning impact port mouth begun late medieval period case process created important new anchorage ships fortification built shortly sir master ordnance given manor king henry vii exchange richard constructing tower protect anchorage surviving evidence tower fact built promised invest coastal defences rest reign castles england left poor repair considered outdated expensive maintain henry_viii king began follow aggressive policy neighbouring france father tensions increased henry ordered construction artillery tower new bridge work carried richard son cost years resulting circular stone tower feet feet high occupying spit controlling port provided relatively limited facilities living accommodation probably permanently garrisoned despite artillery tower flat roof carry heavy guns tower initially supplied artillery unable protect hostile naval expeditions attacked coast letters lord chancellor cardinal guns finally arrived form wrought iron concerns began raised ultimately anchorage concentric design threat invasion france spain grew henry issued orders coastal defences improved creating sequence fortifications called device forts england intended carry artillery pieces able engage enemy naval vessels approach coast deter enemy landings programme work considerably expanded cost phase work took place autumn engineer responsible design fort paid substantial salary year work similar projects including prominent local men served commissioners project pay master finding sufficient numbers difficult pressed service artillery pieces sent castle ahead work completed probably installed temporary battery positions castle site initially old tower converted stronger able support artillery guns roof gatehouse built alongside towers called shape curtain wall constructed outside castle erected wall end phase work castle altered frantic burst work possibly driven pressure king height curtain wall increased gatehouse extended entrance new network underground passages installed added outside end castle garrisoned men equipped artillery appointed captain result concentric fortress hoped combine best italian military architecture able carry heavy guns low profile protect incoming artillery fire flaws rapidly apparent castle design focused defence result guns easily brought bear enemy vessels original intent building fortification angles fire defences blocked entrance high water table caused damp problems ground floor furthermore design different device forts constructed region stood unusual keeping king general intent chain forts redeveloped concentric design result problems original design summer work castle initial invasion scare lasting august decision problems castle taken king henry appears stayed pay master acted master works remaining role engineer end project despite difficulties earlier work cost second phase work higher design different von castle towers raised height level floors elevated curtain wall strengthened old entirely removed new larger added place older castle demolished flat roof altered pitched design guns supported moved outlying size castle slightly decreased new design domestic space available garrison practice revised design ignored acute angled introduced europe round towers creating numerous patches dead ground castle guns fire high walls presented greater target internal design complicated remained difficult inside fort historian describes final design archaic predecessor role extended keeper captain keeper waters january paid shillings day left england disgrace facing complaints man pretend knowledge bulk stone phases project acquired monastic buildings purchasing nearby hastings higher quality stone bought hampshire suppliers normandy timber acquired lumber operations run directly project team chalk brought dover manufacture lime bricks initially purchased necessary possibly bricks manufactured locally work progressed steel iron tiles bought locally sussex metric tons long tons short tons crane project operational use castle obsolete time completed european military design moved curved embracing angular designs seen later star forts nonetheless remained operational artillery fort rest century initial garrison men command rising men captain fitted start castle initially relied heavily protection attack land stocks arrows example probably use local militia event war stored considerable numbers probably use militia initially fort equipped artillery pieces including brass cannons falcon wrought iron guns bases castle typically held guns 16th century including cannons cannons brass guns fire quickly times hour safer use iron uncertain far castle guns reached analysis carried 16th 17th century ranges artillery suggested example hit target metres metres away july french carried raid nearby castle seen action french fleet soon began block entrance threatening use anchorage complaints parliament situation authorities expressed fears damaged repair end century surrounding marshes dumping ballast passing ships accelerated natural processes anchorage ruined surrounding region strategically important towns like decline peace france military attention shifted spanish threat south west england castle garrisoned onwards men including gunners led captain having taken role century went castle difficult maintain gun platforms reported utter decay repairs projected likely cost unclear repairs carried tensions spain england rose queen elizabeth spent repairs castle amid fresh fears invasion war broke year year spanish jesuit priest called father spy pay spanish plans hand castle invading force french spanish soldiers conspiracy came fruition fresh crisis spain brass guns needed english navy short supply brass artillery pieces rounded forts south coast including number guns castle remained larger brass cannon removed replaced smaller iron royal survey suggested repair work needed fortifications 17th 19th centuries closure english civil war castle went changes start 17th century appointed captain castle garrison reduced soldiers including gunners effort reduce costs result changing types artillery kept castle north south filled form solid gun platforms approximately earth called built south corner castle solid sacrificed living space demand smaller garrison cheaper maintain fell use warfare england declined replaced muskets kept castle sir took captain replaced fortification far sea useful suggested castle closed king charles dilapidated condition fortification reportedly miles sea local towns campaigned castle operational charles issued instruction demolish garrison led captain left year followed artillery civil war broke supporters charles parliament entirely closed royal munitions store citizens sided parliament agreed weapons stores castle removed taken town safe keeping concerned seized royalist forces parliament went castle year stripping lead roof blocking living accommodation result second english civil war despite device forts south coast occupied ruins restoration charles_ii throne royal survey castle found fortification ruins increasing number visitors came castle 18th 19th centuries north east corner popular site writing antiquarian attributed decline fortification changes local superiority protecting coasts observing castle architecture clearly low state military architecture 16th century england response threat posed france napoleonic wars lieutenant colonel surveyed castle examine central turned tower type circular gun tower popular period scheme taken forward defences surrounding coast line improved government painter visited middle work later depicting castle landscape paintings sketches area 20th 21st centuries start 20th century surrounding farmland remained private ownership open visitors proposal turn golf project taken forward facility built nearby instead research team project visited castle resulting albeit historical analysis survey fortification published years later 1940s castle structures covered rubble debris interwoven pathways created movement visitors years second world war castle british_army possibly early warning site fitted anti aircraft area north castle naval sites created distract incoming german bombers town trenches dug north military training conducted outskirts castle post war years archaeological interest castle grew onwards carried long running research project section written historian finally published carried archaeological survey site following year ruins closed allow extensive archaeological excavation ministry initially carried support local school children young offenders institution dover state took castle year government began slow process restoring castle intention eventually reopening public efforts largely focusing protecting internal brick walls wall excavations followed 1970s early 1980s bought castle owners government agency english_heritage took control castle scheme reopen property visitors forward included final assessment archaeological work previous decades castle finally opened public castle open visitors guided tours organised site protected law grade listed building architecture landscape landscape castle lies level wide reclaimed area land modern towns kilometres sea surrounding pasture land flat sea level marked numerous ridges formed retreating coastline centuries eastern fortification large 20th century gravel pit flooded form wetland nature reserve metre defensive runs south east sides castle probably originally topped stone wall designed protect castle sea closer remains raised causeway linked isolated castle mainland leads away short distance south west marks holes dug provide materials early 17th century survive outside castle architecture storey castle changed little completion incorporates elements phases building work standing metres tall covers acres big largest deal kent tower site built fine yellow sandstone later expansion making use yellow grey sandstone imported stone finer detailing brown sandstone rubble core castle walls taken local cliffs castle entered entrance core building constructed second phase work castle initially square storey construct metres extended forward additional metres form circular additional floor added phase internal walls destroyed ground floor chambers administration possibly living rooms deputy captain floor formed high status set chambers use captain included large windows private storey destroyed special german tile probably fitted chambers use captain castle illustrated pictures soldiers protestant german leaders fragments survived centre fortification built round tower metres original building walls incorporated new design original tower embedded ground level metre thick walls blocked second phase building originally running roof initially flat converted design phase work ground floor laid brick brick stone lined supply water small intended cooking final version probably living space floor windows added final phase work intended use bars easily secured event attack underground vaulted ring metres high ran outside similar covered radial leading ruined courtyard surrounded separating external defences containing north west corner underground led entrance outside castle walls allow garrison escape emergency assault besieging force outer castle defended octagonal wall linked turrets formed main defences castle wall initially built second phase work castle supplemented final phase additional metre thick exterior facing originally finished gun section storey gallery provided relatively accommodation garrison ran way inside wall ground floor gallery survives gallery lit windows facing courtyard built early 17th century lies south south east parts defences blocked stone earth inside castle towers storeys tall metres internally metre thick walls flat curved originally topped firing platforms inside fortification enabling occupants fire courtyard necessary built outside towers phase work metres wide internally extend metres respective tower metre thick walls single internal gun room robust gun deck west kitchen interior fitted circular range cooking connected wall walk lost south tower remains partially buried result construction
Camber Castle