Walmer and Deal castles

On a beautiful dry and sunny day we visited first Walmer and then just a mile away Deal castles. These are two thirds of the castles in the Downs, the third, Sandown was was largely demolished in the 19th Century.

These castles were built by Henry VIII in 1539 as part of the coastal defences to prevent beach landings. Deal is the largest, strong and sturdy, and right on the beach. It has largely been left as it was in Tudor times save for an update in the 1700's. You can wander around the clover leaf construction and go deep into the powder store below the keep.

Anne of Cleves landed here and stayed briefly at the castle on her way to marry Henry in December 1539 and the place still has that Tudor atmosphere. It's not too much stretch of the imagination to see her walking around the corner. It is said that you could see the glow from the Fire ships that scattered the Spanish Armada from this castle.

Walmer castle on the other hand is very much a lived in castle, as it has been the official home of the Lord Warden of the Cinque ports since 1708, and still occupied as such.

Walmer is also a clover leaf design and construction, but the place is very much alive with the famous men and women who have inhabited the official quaters.

People like the Duke of Wellington, William Pitt the Younger, WH Smith (yes the newsagent). Sir Winston Churchill and Queen Elizabeth the Queen Mother.

All of them have left a mark on the castle in some way or other and there are many exhibitions to see inside. Outside the Queen Mother has left a beautiful walled garden but because we have had such a cold winter the plants are not yet in bloom. There were activities going on in the extensive and well tended gardens, story telling and music by a travelling troup and much face painting for the kids.

The castle looks and feels much different to Deal and it's Tudor heart is hard to find, but deep in the powder store under the keep you can hear it beating.

www.tudorhistorytours.com