Castles · South East England
Dover Castle
In or near Martin Mill.
Dover Castle — medieval castle in Dover, Kent, England, UK.

Wikimedia Commons contributors — see linked file page for photographer and licence licence
Plan your visit
- Typical visit
- 1.5 h–3 h
- Nearest railway station
- Dover Priory · 1.3 km
- Free entry
- Family-friendly
- Limited wheelchair access
Getting there & planning your visit
To visit Dover Castle, the nearest railway station is Dover Priory, located 1.3 km away. Entry to the castle is paid, and wheelchair access is limited. The postcode for sat-nav is CT16 1HU.
About
Dover Castle is a castle in the United Kingdom — fortified architecture from the medieval, Tudor, or Victorian-revival period. Records date its origin to 1179. Built in the medieval architecture style. Heritage designation: scheduled monument. Owned by English Heritage. Managed by English Heritage. Part of Dover Palmerston Forts. Address: CT16 1HU. Wikidata describes it as: "medieval castle in Dover, Kent, England, UK". Coordinates: 51.1283°, 1.3235°.
Photo gallery
Heritage listing
Dover Castle is a medieval castle in Dover, Kent, England and is Grade I listed. It was founded in the 11th century and has been described as the "Key to England" due to its defensive significance throughout history. Some sources say it is the largest castle in England, a title also claimed by Windsor Castle.
From the Historic England List Entry under OGL v3.
From English Heritage
High atop the iconic White Cliffs of Dover sits the most iconic of all English fortresses. From the mighty medieval keep to the labyrinth of secret wartime tunnels below, a family day out at Dover towers above all others.
Read more on the official property page.
Protected designations
- Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty: Kent Downs
Designations sourced from Natural England open data under OGL v3.
From the Wikipedia article
Dover Castle is a medieval castle in Dover, Kent, England and is Grade I listed. It was founded in the 11th century and has been described as the "Key to England" due to its defensive significance throughout history. Some sources say it is the largest castle in England, a title also claimed by Windsor Castle.
Excerpt from Wikipedia under CC BY-SA 4.0. See the source article linked in Sources below.
- Coordinates
- 51.1283, 1.3235
- County
- Kent
- District
- Dover
- Parish
- Dover
- Postcode
- CT16 1HU
- Parliamentary constituency
- Dover and Deal
- Phone
- 0370 333 1181
- Established
- 1179
- Nearest railway station
- Dover Priory — 1.3 km
- Opening
- Daily 10am - 5pm; last entry at 4pm
- Official site
- www.english-heritage.org.uk
Sources
- wikidata: Q950970 (CC0)
- wikipedia: Dover Castle (CC BY-SA 4.0)
- commons: 1 dover castle aerial panorama 2017.jpg (CC BY-SA 4.0)
Featured in these 6 guides
Itinerary
Kent: castles, white cliffs, and the Garden of England
Three days of Norman castles, Tudor palaces and Channel coast.
Itinerary
Fifteen English Heritage sites you can't miss
Castles, abbeys, Roman forts and prehistoric monuments under one £75 membership.
Itinerary
UK castles that work for kids
Where the medieval reenactments, knight-errant trails and dragons keep under-10s busy.
Itinerary
Britain's most haunted castles in 7 days
Seven castles with the most documented hauntings, walked in a week.
Itinerary
Kent castles and gardens
Leeds, Hever, Penshurst — and Sissinghurst.
Itinerary
English Heritage flagship properties
Twelve must-visit EH sites for a Heritage Pass weekend.
Other places nearby

St Mary sub Castro, Dover
Historic churches · 0.0 km

Dubris Pharos
Lighthouses · 0.0 km

Dubris
Hill forts · 0.0 km

Queen Elizabeth's Pocket Pistol
Historic houses · 0.1 km

Admiral Ramsay
Memorials & monuments · 0.2 km

The Underground Hopital
Museums · 0.2 km

Secret Wartime Tunnels
Museums · 0.2 km

Arthur's Hall
Museums · 0.2 km

Canon's Gate House
Castles · 0.2 km

PWRR & Queens Regiment Museum
Museums · 0.2 km

White Cliffs of Dover
Natural landmarks · 0.3 km

Constables Gate, Dover Castle
Castles · 0.3 km
Nearby
📷 5Historic churches · South East England
St Mary sub Castro, Dover
St Mary sub Castro, Dover is a historic church in the United Kingdom.
📷 5Lighthouses · South East England
Dubris Pharos
Dubris Pharos — Roman lighthouse in Dover, England.
📷 5Hill forts · South East England
Dubris
Dubris — ancient port in Roman Britain, in Dover, Kent.
Historic houses · South East England
Queen Elizabeth's Pocket Pistol
Queen Elizabeth's Pocket Pistol — a Grade II*-listed historic house in england-south-east, United Kingdom.
Memorials & monuments · South East England
Admiral Ramsay
Admiral Ramsay — a memorial in england-south-east, United Kingdom.
Museums · South East England
The Underground Hopital
The Underground Hopital — a museum in england-south-east, United Kingdom.
Where to eat & stay near Dover Castle
Places to stay
B&Bs · South East England
Churchill
Churchill — a bed-and-breakfast in england south east.
Caravan parks · South East England
St Margarets Bay Holiday Park
St Margarets Bay Holiday Park — a caravan park in england south east. Brand: Parkdean Resorts.
Campsites · South East England
Hawthorn Farm (Keat farm)
Hawthorn Farm (Keat farm) — a campsite in england south east.
Places to eat & drink
Restaurants · South East England
The Swingate Inn, Namaste Curry House
The Swingate Inn, Namaste Curry House — a restaurant in england south east. Cuisine: indian.
Historic pubs · South East England
The Martello Public House
The Martello Public House in England South East, United Kingdom.
Historic pubs · South East England
The Samuel Peto
The Samuel Peto in England South East, United Kingdom.
Restaurants · South East England
81 Beach Street
81 Beach Street — a restaurant in england south east.
Historic pubs · South East England
The Black Pig Inn
The Black Pig Inn in England South East, United Kingdom.
More places run by English Heritage
Flagship📷 10Museums · London
Kenwood House
Kenwood House — art museum and historic house in Hampstead, London.
📷 5Galleries · London
Apsley House
Apsley House — London townhouse of the Dukes of Wellington.
📷 5Castles · London
Eynsford Castle
Eynsford Castle — castle, now ruinous, in Eynsford, Kent, England, UK.
📷 5Museums · London
Jewel Tower
Jewel Tower — medieval tower in Westminster, London, England, UK.
Other castles from this era
📷 5Castles · South East England
Allington Castle
Allington Castle — stone-built moated castle in Allington, England.
📷 5Castles · South East England
Guildford Castle
Guildford Castle — castle in Guildford, Surrey, England, UK.
📷 5Castles · South East England
Rochester Castle
Rochester Castle — castle in Rochester, Kent, South East England.
📷 5Castles · South East England
Arundel Castle
Arundel Castle — castle in West Sussex, England, UK.
More castles in this region
📷 5
📷 5Castles · South East England
Betchworth Castle
Betchworth Castle — castle in Brockham, Mole Valley, Surrey, England, UK.
Castles · South East England
Bletchingley Castle
Bletchingley Castle — castle in Surrey, England, UK.
📷 5Castles · South East England
Leybourne Castle
Leybourne Castle — castle in Leybourne, Kent, England, UK.
Frequently asked questions
- Where is Dover Castle?
- Dover Castle is in Kent, South-East England, United Kingdom (postcode CT16 1HU), in the parish of Dover.
- What is Dover Castle?
- Dover Castle — medieval castle in Dover, Kent, England, UK.
- How do I get to Dover Castle?
- The nearest railway station is Dover Priory, about 1.3 km away. Drivers can use postcode CT16 1HU.
- When was Dover Castle built?
- Built or established in 1179.
- Who runs Dover Castle?
- Dover Castle is operated by English Heritage.
- Is Dover Castle a listed building?
- Dover Castle is officially recognised as scheduled monument listed.
- Is Dover Castle a protected site?
- Yes — Dover Castle is part of the Kent Downs National Landscape (AONB).
- Does Dover Castle charge admission?
- Dover Castle typically charges admission. Check the official site for current ticket prices and opening hours.