Outer Walls and Towers
IV. OUTER WALLS AND TOWERS.
The Towers on the outer walls, shown in the Plan below, have sufficient historical interest to repay a perambulation. Beginning at the Cliff edge next the Town, we will take them in the order in which they stand.
1. Canon or Monk's Gate. — This entrance in the Middle Ages was a small postern through which the monks from Dover Priory used to come up to the Castle Church. After the Reformation it was closed, until the new entrance and drawbridge were constructed there in 1797.
2. Rokesley Tower. — This was square with a semi-circular front, built at the cost of the Rokesley Manor, in Lenham.
3. Fulbert de Dover Tower. — This Tower was built by the knight of that name out of his Manor of Chilham. It was rebuilt by Edward IV., and used by the Clerk of the Ca.stle Exchequer. Later, it was enlarged and used as a prison for the Cinque Ports, and, later still, as a debtor's prison. It was taken down in 191 1 to make room for soldiers' quarters.
4. Hirst Tower. — This is now but a stump of masonry in the wall. It is named after John de Hirst, wiio held it on military tenure in connection with the Manor of Chilham.
5. Arsick's Tower. — This was supported by the Manor of Farningham, held by William de Arsick, one of the eight knights who enjoyed knight's fees for the defence of Dover Castle. He was lord of Leybourne and Boxley, and provided three knights to take Castle guard for six months in each year.
6. Gatton Tower. — It was supported out of the Manor of Gatton, Surrey, which was granted to Sir William de Peverell. It was later called Copley Tower, having reference to the steep slope outside it.
7. Peverell's Tower. — This well preserved structure was originally built by Sir Geoffrey de Peverell, out of lands at Harietsham, granted to him by the King, one of the escheated manors of Odo, Earl of Kent, for the defence of Dover Castle, and it occupied an important position in the early Norman defences. Built into the angle of the Saxon wall, where the outer curtain then terminated, it formed the salient point of a strong triangle of walls and towers which, in the late Saxon and Norman times, guarded the Keep, the other angle of the base being Godwin's Tower on the east wall, the third angle Magminot's Tower in the northern spur. Peverell's Tower was also called Marshal's Tower, having been occupied by the Marshal of the Castle; and also Bell Tower, because the bell to warn the garrison was in it.
8. Forth 's Tower. — The original owner of this Tower was Robert de Forth, one of the knights of William the Conqueror, who received fifty knights' fees for his military services out of lands previously held by Oswald, a Saxon. Ten knights' fees were allotted for the maintenance of this Tower. Not long after Castle guard by knight service ended, this Tower fell, and being restored in the reign of Queen Mary, was known as Queen Mary's Tower.
9. Constable's Tower. — This was built on the site of a more ancient gateway by John de Finnes, in the latter part of the reign of William the Conqueror. It has been said to be the grandest of the Norman gateways remaining in England, resembling on a smaller scale the triangular arrangement of walls and towers which, at that period, formed the northern defences of the Castle. The two angles at the base each had two round towers standing in line with the Norman walls, but those at the south-west angle are nearly hidden by modem additions. At the salient northern angle there was originally one large round tower rising to a greater height than the others, cornmanding the whole structure. In the lower part of this tower was the grand entrance secured by a portcullis and drawbridge. Over the gate in this tower was the court, which was the seat of the Castle administration, called Castle Gate Court, and on the top of it was the place of execution. The simple and artistic design of the Constable's Tower has been marred by the projection of an unsightly oblong front to the central tower, to secure additional room, owing to which projection the builder has shifted the portcullis forward.
10. Clopton Tower — This small tower, next to the Constable's on he north, was built by John de Finnes, and the Manor of Clopton Norfolk was granted to maintain it. When Stephen de Fencester was Constable, this Tower was the Record Office of the Castle, and in this Tower many valuable Castle records were burnt in the reign of Henry VIII, by an official named Levenste, out of spite towards John Monin, who was a successful competitor against him for the office of Lieutenant Governor.
11. Godsfoe Tower. — This was also known as Devil's Tower. It was built by Fulbert de Dover. It is a square structure partly projecting from the walls.
12, 13. Magminot's Towers. — There were two towers here originally, but they, having been altered, are now represented by four towers occupying the angle facing the high ground northward. There was within the walls, adjoining these towers, a guard-house intended to contain men-at-arms always alert to protect this a.ssailable part of the fortress. After the French Siege in 12 16, a .souterrain was carried under these towers across the exterior ditch, and, dividing into three branches, gave egress to the centre, and to each side of the spur, to facilitate sallies and retreats. The spur, which still remains, was made in the 13th Century, and altered to suit artillery in 1796.
14. St. John's Tower. — This is a round isolated tower in the exterior ditch, where the souterrain branches into three outlets. It is named after St. John of Basing, a descendant of the Peverells.
15. FitzwiUiam Tower. — This is designated after the knight of that name who built it in the Norman period. It stands opposite the seaward angle of the spur. It had a souterrain from the inner ward to cross the ditch to the lower side of the spur.
16. 17 — These are the two small watch towers built to accommodate sentries attached to the Fitzwilliam Tower.
18. Averanche's Tower. — This was an important work in the angle of the wall opposite the Roman oval, built forward to cover the sally-port constructed there by Earl Godwin. It was through this port that Sir John de Pencester entered to relieve the Garrison during the French Siege ; and the fear that a foe might make a raid by that entrance sugge.sted the construction of Averanche Tower, which had many mediaeval contrivances to facilitate defence.
19. Pencester's Tower. — This tower, named after Sir John de Pencester, stood as a middle ward between the towers of Godwin and Averanche.
20. Godwin's Tower. — This ancient work stood at the opening between the mounds of the Roman oval and the Saxon Keep. The Tower was destroyed to clear the ground for the new road made in 1798 fronting the casemates then constructed.
21, 22, 23. — These numbers represent the Ashford Towers, which stood at intervals on the wall between Averanche's Tower and the edge of the cliff, facing the Northfall Meadow. They are of comparatively modern origin, but are now superceded by more modern bastions.
24. The Eshetisfordian Gate. — Near where the first of the Ashford Towers stand, in Early Saxon times there existed the Eshetisfordian Gate, which Darell says was the approach to the primitive town of Rupecester (i.e., the town in the Castle), where the Civil portion of the community of Dover are said to have had their habitations in the late Roman and early Saxon days, before the drying up of the land-locked haven afforded room for a town in the valley. This little town on the cliff was separated from the Roman and Saxon Castle by a wall and towers, whijh have long since disappeared, and the inhabitants are said to have had there a small Church — the Church of St. Giles — of which there are now no remains.
The Towers on the outer walls, shown in the Plan below, have sufficient historical interest to repay a perambulation. Beginning at the Cliff edge next the Town, we will take them in the order in which they stand.
1. Canon or Monk's Gate. — This entrance in the Middle Ages was a small postern through which the monks from Dover Priory used to come up to the Castle Church. After the Reformation it was closed, until the new entrance and drawbridge were constructed there in 1797.2. Rokesley Tower. — This was square with a semi-circular front, built at the cost of the Rokesley Manor, in Lenham.
3. Fulbert de Dover Tower. — This Tower was built by the knight of that name out of his Manor of Chilham. It was rebuilt by Edward IV., and used by the Clerk of the Ca.stle Exchequer. Later, it was enlarged and used as a prison for the Cinque Ports, and, later still, as a debtor's prison. It was taken down in 191 1 to make room for soldiers' quarters.
4. Hirst Tower. — This is now but a stump of masonry in the wall. It is named after John de Hirst, wiio held it on military tenure in connection with the Manor of Chilham.
5. Arsick's Tower. — This was supported by the Manor of Farningham, held by William de Arsick, one of the eight knights who enjoyed knight's fees for the defence of Dover Castle. He was lord of Leybourne and Boxley, and provided three knights to take Castle guard for six months in each year.
6. Gatton Tower. — It was supported out of the Manor of Gatton, Surrey, which was granted to Sir William de Peverell. It was later called Copley Tower, having reference to the steep slope outside it.
7. Peverell's Tower. — This well preserved structure was originally built by Sir Geoffrey de Peverell, out of lands at Harietsham, granted to him by the King, one of the escheated manors of Odo, Earl of Kent, for the defence of Dover Castle, and it occupied an important position in the early Norman defences. Built into the angle of the Saxon wall, where the outer curtain then terminated, it formed the salient point of a strong triangle of walls and towers which, in the late Saxon and Norman times, guarded the Keep, the other angle of the base being Godwin's Tower on the east wall, the third angle Magminot's Tower in the northern spur. Peverell's Tower was also called Marshal's Tower, having been occupied by the Marshal of the Castle; and also Bell Tower, because the bell to warn the garrison was in it.
8. Forth 's Tower. — The original owner of this Tower was Robert de Forth, one of the knights of William the Conqueror, who received fifty knights' fees for his military services out of lands previously held by Oswald, a Saxon. Ten knights' fees were allotted for the maintenance of this Tower. Not long after Castle guard by knight service ended, this Tower fell, and being restored in the reign of Queen Mary, was known as Queen Mary's Tower.
9. Constable's Tower. — This was built on the site of a more ancient gateway by John de Finnes, in the latter part of the reign of William the Conqueror. It has been said to be the grandest of the Norman gateways remaining in England, resembling on a smaller scale the triangular arrangement of walls and towers which, at that period, formed the northern defences of the Castle. The two angles at the base each had two round towers standing in line with the Norman walls, but those at the south-west angle are nearly hidden by modem additions. At the salient northern angle there was originally one large round tower rising to a greater height than the others, cornmanding the whole structure. In the lower part of this tower was the grand entrance secured by a portcullis and drawbridge. Over the gate in this tower was the court, which was the seat of the Castle administration, called Castle Gate Court, and on the top of it was the place of execution. The simple and artistic design of the Constable's Tower has been marred by the projection of an unsightly oblong front to the central tower, to secure additional room, owing to which projection the builder has shifted the portcullis forward.
10. Clopton Tower — This small tower, next to the Constable's on he north, was built by John de Finnes, and the Manor of Clopton Norfolk was granted to maintain it. When Stephen de Fencester was Constable, this Tower was the Record Office of the Castle, and in this Tower many valuable Castle records were burnt in the reign of Henry VIII, by an official named Levenste, out of spite towards John Monin, who was a successful competitor against him for the office of Lieutenant Governor.
11. Godsfoe Tower. — This was also known as Devil's Tower. It was built by Fulbert de Dover. It is a square structure partly projecting from the walls.
12, 13. Magminot's Towers. — There were two towers here originally, but they, having been altered, are now represented by four towers occupying the angle facing the high ground northward. There was within the walls, adjoining these towers, a guard-house intended to contain men-at-arms always alert to protect this a.ssailable part of the fortress. After the French Siege in 12 16, a .souterrain was carried under these towers across the exterior ditch, and, dividing into three branches, gave egress to the centre, and to each side of the spur, to facilitate sallies and retreats. The spur, which still remains, was made in the 13th Century, and altered to suit artillery in 1796.
14. St. John's Tower. — This is a round isolated tower in the exterior ditch, where the souterrain branches into three outlets. It is named after St. John of Basing, a descendant of the Peverells.
15. FitzwiUiam Tower. — This is designated after the knight of that name who built it in the Norman period. It stands opposite the seaward angle of the spur. It had a souterrain from the inner ward to cross the ditch to the lower side of the spur.
16. 17 — These are the two small watch towers built to accommodate sentries attached to the Fitzwilliam Tower.
18. Averanche's Tower. — This was an important work in the angle of the wall opposite the Roman oval, built forward to cover the sally-port constructed there by Earl Godwin. It was through this port that Sir John de Pencester entered to relieve the Garrison during the French Siege ; and the fear that a foe might make a raid by that entrance sugge.sted the construction of Averanche Tower, which had many mediaeval contrivances to facilitate defence.
19. Pencester's Tower. — This tower, named after Sir John de Pencester, stood as a middle ward between the towers of Godwin and Averanche.
20. Godwin's Tower. — This ancient work stood at the opening between the mounds of the Roman oval and the Saxon Keep. The Tower was destroyed to clear the ground for the new road made in 1798 fronting the casemates then constructed.
21, 22, 23. — These numbers represent the Ashford Towers, which stood at intervals on the wall between Averanche's Tower and the edge of the cliff, facing the Northfall Meadow. They are of comparatively modern origin, but are now superceded by more modern bastions.
24. The Eshetisfordian Gate. — Near where the first of the Ashford Towers stand, in Early Saxon times there existed the Eshetisfordian Gate, which Darell says was the approach to the primitive town of Rupecester (i.e., the town in the Castle), where the Civil portion of the community of Dover are said to have had their habitations in the late Roman and early Saxon days, before the drying up of the land-locked haven afforded room for a town in the valley. This little town on the cliff was separated from the Roman and Saxon Castle by a wall and towers, whijh have long since disappeared, and the inhabitants are said to have had there a small Church — the Church of St. Giles — of which there are now no remains.