Dover; Moats Bulwark

Also known as, or recorded in historical documents as; Moates; bulwark under Dover Castle; the bulwark subtus castrum Doveri

In the civil parish of Dover.
In the historic county of Kent (Modern Authority of Kent, 1974 county of Kent).

In around 1540 Henry VIII built three artillery fortifications at Dover to protect the newly constructed harbour. One of these, Moats's Bulwark, was situated at the foot of the cliff beneath Dover Castle, and provided additional protection to its southern flank. The battery was probably completed in around March 1939. A C16 plan depicts it as a timber revetted platform approached by tunnels in the cliff, although it was remodelled as a large semi-circular battery in around 1750, and in 1856 linked with the castle by a spiral stairway tunnelled into the cliff.

This site has been described as a;
Artillery Fort.
The confidence that this site is a medieval fortification or palace is Certain.
Uncertain remains.

This site is a scheduled monument protected by law.

The Ordnance Survey Map Grid Reference is TR32534152

Modern Map from

Good for landscape form and features

Modern Map from

Good for general location

Air Photo from

1st edition OS Map from

Sources of information, references and further reading

PastScape number; 467990

Books

Salter, Mike, 2000, The Castles of Kent (Malvern) p57
Coed, Jonathan, 1995, Dover Castle (London: Batsford)
Bennett, D., 1977, A handbook of Kent's defences from 1540 until 1945 p17-30

Journal Articles

Coad, J.G., and Lewis, P.N., 1982, 'The later fortifications of Dover' Post-Medieval Archaeology Vol16 p141-208
Brown, R.Allen, 1970, 'Dover Castle' Archaeological Journal Vol126 p210

Guidebooks

Brown, R.Allen. 1985 4edn, Dover Castle, Kent(English Heritage) p43-44
Brown, R.Allen. 1966, Dover Castle, Kent (HMSO) p42

Most of the sites or buildings recorded in this web site are NOT open to the public and permission to visit a site must always be sought from the landowner or tenant

The information on this web page may be derived from information compiled by and/or copyright of English Heritage and other individuals and organisations.

It is an offence to disturb a Scheduled Monument without consent. It is a destruction of everyone's heritage to remove archaeological evidence from any site without proper recording and reporting. Don't use metal detectors on historic sites without authorisation.

Please help me to make this as useful a resource as possible by contacting me if you see errors or if you can add information.
I do acknowledge the help I get with this site.

Go to Previous Record Go to Next Record Back to List
This record last updated on Friday, April 6, 2007

¤¤¤¤¤