Henry VIII's Sandown Castle Stones Found in Dover Castle's Victorian Extension
A study led by Christopher Moore at the University of Kent has revealed that in the 1880s, stones from Sandown Castle, a fort built by Henry VIII between 1539 and 1540, were utilized to refurbish Dover Castle. Moore's extensive research indicates that these materials were repurposed across at least five sites in East Kent, emphasizing Sandown Castle’s significant role in local architecture rather than its presumed deterioration. Notably, an 1883 document confirmed the use of these stones for new accommodations for Dover Castle's officer. Moore's work, supported by recent archival discoveries, aims to illuminate the historical importance of Tudor construction.
Key facts
- Sandown Castle was built between 1539 and 1540 on Kent's eastern coast.
- Stones from Sandown Castle were repurposed in a Victorian-era extension of Constable's Gate at Dover Castle.
- Christopher Moore is a research fellow at the University of Kent.
- The research is based on archival records and architectural evidence.
- A 1883 report explicitly stated stones from Sandown were bound for Dover Castle.
- Sandown Castle was one of Henry VIII's Device Forts.
- The repurposed stones are scattered across at least five sites in East Kent.
- Moore co-founded the Henrician Archaeological Research Foundation with Manolo Guerci.
Entities
Artists
- Henry VIII
- Christopher Moore
- Robert Nicholl Dawson-Scott
- Howard Colvin
- Manolo Guerci
Institutions
- University of Kent
- Dover Castle
- Sandown Castle
- Sandgate Castle
- Walmer Castle
- Deal Castle
- British Museum
- British Library
- Henrician Archaeological Research Foundation
- English Heritage
Locations
- Kent
- England
- Wales
- Milford Haven
- Dover
- London
- East Kent