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Exploring Kent's Past

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Monument details

HER Number:	TR 15 NW 63
Type of record:	Listed Building
Name:	Canterbury Castle

Summary

A square, ruined, late 11th century tower is all that remains of the former Canterbury Castle. The Castle was constructed in the 11th century in the south-west quarter of the city. The walls of its outer bailey were demolished in the late 18th century and since 1826, when the gas and water works first moved into the area, the medieval topography has been gradually destroyed apart from the tower itself which served as a coal store. Virtually the sole surviving and visible portion of the castle is the great tower or 'keep'. Indirect evidence suggests this stone tower was designed between 1085 and 1125. Its architectural history is well documented from the reign of Henry II onwards. In 1173-4 over £100 were spent on the 'work of the castle', chiefly on the tower. It is likely that this large sum was for alterations to an existing keep rather than for its original construction. The castle was repaired between 1190 and 1193 when preparations were made to resist King Philip's threatened invasion but the castle was surrendered to Louis of France in 1216. Generally during the middle ages the castle provided for the administration of the sheriff and served as a prison. By 1335 it was largely ruinous.

Grid Reference:	TR 1454 5743
Map Sheet:	TR15NW
Parish:	CANTERBURY, CANTERBURY, KENT

Monument Types

CASTLE (Medieval - 1085 AD to 1335 AD)

Protected Status:	Listed Building (I) NAR

Full description

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Sources and further reading

Cross-ref.	Source description
---	Collection: Man, J R: Norman Keep, Canterbury Castle, Kent.
<1>	Unpublished document: OS Card / NAR index entry. OS 1/2500 1957
<2>	Unpublished document: OS Card / NAR index entry. MHLG 944/11/A Mar 62 13
<3>	Unpublished document: OS Card / NAR index entry. AM Eng & Wales 1961 59
<4>	Unpublished document: OS Card / NAR index entry. Arch J 86 1930 243-7 plans illusts (G Horne)
<5>	Unpublished document: OS Card / NAR index entry. F1 FGA 19-DEC-65
<6>	Unpublished document: OS Card / NAR index entry. DOE (HHR) Dist of City of Cant Kent Sept 1973 53
<7>	Unpublished document: OS Card / NAR index entry. The English Castle 1936 35 38 (H Brown)
<8>	Unpublished document: OS Card / NAR index entry. Hist of the King's Works 2 1963 588-90 (RA Brown HM Colvin AJ Taylor)
<9>	Unpublished document: OS Card / NAR index entry. Arch J 32 1875 490-494
<10>	Unpublished document: OS Card / NAR index entry. Arch 6 1782 298-310 (E King)
<11>	Unpublished document: OS Card / NAR index entry. Arch 4 177 390-92 (E King)
<12>	Unpublished document: OS Card / NAR index entry. BOE North East and East Kent 1983 246 (S Newman)
<13>	Unpublished document: OS Card / NAR index entry. The Castles of Gt Britain 1953 72-74 (S Toy)
<14>	Unpublished document: OS Card / NAR index entry. Cant Arch Trust Ann Rep 3 1978-79 18 (T Tatton-Brown)
<15>	Unpublished document: OS Card / NAR index entry. Arch Cant 87 1972 205-208 (L Millard)
<16>	Unpublished document: OS Card / NAR index entry. Arch J 126 1969 238-239 Plan (DF Renn)
<17>	Unpublished document: OS Card / NAR index entry. Arch Cant 92 1976 248 (T Tatton-Brown)
<18>	Unpublished document: OS Card / NAR index entry. Med Arch 16 1972 181 (LE Webster and J Cherry)
<19>	Unpublished document: OS Card / NAR index entry. Arch Cant Vol 1 Excavs at Canterbury Castle 1982 1--236 (P Bennett SS Frere & S Stow)
<20>	Unpublished document: OS Card / NAR index entry. Early Norman Castles 1912 116-21 396 (ES Armitage)
<21>	Unpublished document: OS Card / NAR index entry. Mil Architecture in Eng during the Middle Ages 1912 46 120 128 (AH Thompson)
<22>	Unpublished document: Smith, V. C. and Saunder, A.. 2001. Kents Defence Heritage.

Related records

TR 15 NW 114

Parent of: Great Hall (Monument)