Two Tudor castles and a duke: Deal and Walmer

In the late 1530s, Henry VIII had good reason to be nervous. His break with Rome had left England isolated, and there was a real fear that France and the Holy Roman Empire would join forces and invade. The Downs, the sheltered water off Deal, was an obvious place to land an army. So Henry ordered a chain of artillery forts along the coast, and three of them were built right here: Sandown to the north, Deal in the middle and Walmer to the south.

Deal Castle

Deal Castle was the largest of the three and is still the most striking. From above, it is shaped like a Tudor rose: a round central keep ringed by six rounded bastions, with six larger bastions around the outside and a dry moat beyond. The low, curved walls were designed to deflect cannon fire and to give the castle's own gunners a clear shot in every direction.

Built in 1539 and 1540, it is now looked after by English Heritage. Inside you can explore the gun platforms and head down into the dark passage that runs around the outer wall, with its openings for guns facing out across the moat. It sits right on the seafront at the southern end of town, a short walk from the pier.

Walmer Castle

A little further south along the seafront, Walmer Castle started life as a sister fort to Deal but took a very different path. From the 18th century it became the official residence of the Lord Warden of the Cinque Ports, an ancient ceremonial post, and its holders gradually turned the fort into a comfortable home with beautiful gardens.

The most famous Lord Warden was the Duke of Wellington, who loved Walmer and died there in 1852. Later holders included Winston Churchill and Queen Elizabeth the Queen Mother, and the gardens, including one created in her honour, are a highlight of any visit.

And Sandown?

The third castle, Sandown, stood at the northern end of Deal. The sea has claimed most of it over the centuries, but fragments of its walls survive at the end of the seafront, now part of a community garden.

Making a day of it

The walk between Deal and Walmer castles along the seafront takes around 20 to 30 minutes and is flat all the way, with the sea on one side and handsome houses on the other. Both castles are run by English Heritage, so members get in free. Opening days are more limited outside the summer, and Walmer in particular can close for private events, so check before you set out.