Guidebook: Walmer Castle & Gardens

Walmer Castle, with its distinctive four-lobed design, was built in 1539–40 as part of Henry VIII’s new scheme of defences to protect vulnerable stretches of the coast from a French invasion. A chain of gun forts was built to the latest military designs. The fort at Walmer, together with the forts at Deal and Sandown to the north, guarded the Downs, the sheltered anchorage in the lee of the Goodwin Sands. The expected French invasion never came, and Walmer’s capability was only seriously tested once, in 1648, during the Civil War. From the early 18th century the castle was used as the official residence of the Lord Warden of the Cinque Ports, a post dating back to the 13th century. Successive Lords Warden remodelled the building to turn it into a comfortable residence. Notable Lords Warden who made their mark on the castle include Prime Minister William Pitt, who improved the grounds and gardens, and Arthur Wellesley, 1st Duke of Wellington, who died here in 1852. Today, visitors can enjoy the castle interiors, which reflect 300 years of continuous use by the Lords Warden, and the extensive grounds and gardens. These include a kitchen garden, where produce has been grown since the 1720s, the Queen Mother’s Garden, created in 1996, and the recently restored 19th-century Glen garden. This brand new guide presents a complete tour and history of Walmer Castle, and through new site photography, reconstructions, maps, plans and features, it tells the story of Walmer Castle and its residents since it was built nearly 500 years ago. A new pull-out map provides visitors with a guided walk along the coast to Deal Castle and the site of now-lost Sandown Castle. Key Features: Pull-out walking map included Paperback, 56 pages Published September 2021