Constable's Tower or Gateway, Dover Castle, UK

Maskell Family, on May 24, 2007, said:

Nice shot John, I think I will have to go back in the summer

John Latter, on May 24, 2007, said:

A view of Constable's Tower at dusk on May 23rd, 2007. This entrance to Dover Castle, originally via a drawbridge, is one of two currently in use (the other being Canon's Gateway) .

The Tower is as big as many other castles in its own right but is only a gateway to Dover Castle proper. It was built by John de Fiennes under William the Conqueror (also see Norman Dover) and for this reason was once known as Fiennes' Tower.

In 1216, during the First Barons' War, Prince Louis (later Louis VIII, son and heir apparent of King of France Philip Augustus, unsuccessfully besieged Dover Castle.

Prince Louis' miners, however, so damaged the North Entrance that it was closed and sealed. In the 1220s, Hubert de Burgh then rebuilt Constable's Tower as an alternative entry point which probably led to it being called by its other name of Newgate Tower.

Constable's Tower was modernized in 1882 and is the quarters of the Constable of the Castle, who is usually the commanding officer of any Dover-based battalion.

Dover Castle appears in "Dover in World War Two: 1942", a ten minute British Ministry of Information film, released by the US Office of War Information, and narrated by the American journalist, Edward R. Murrow.

A low resolution version (relatively speaking) is available here.

John Latter, on May 24, 2007, said:

Maskell Family said:

Nice shot John, I think I will have to go back in the summer.

Thank you, Chris - maybe I'll see you there!

I'm holding off from going into the Castle grounds 'til I get a new camera and a bigger memory. I'm in a bit in shock over the £9.80 entrance fee :)

I think I said before, if you want any info about the Western Heights or anything then I'ld be pleased to help.

John Latter, on May 24, 2007, said:

24th May, 2007: Just uploaded a photo of Dover Castle's Keep, taken on the same day.

John Latter, on May 27, 2007, said:

Click to see a fourth photo from this set, also of the Keep.

John Latter, on October 16, 2007, said:

Constable's Tower is sometimes called Constable's Gate or Constable's Gateway. Click to see a photo of Queen Mary's Tower and Constable's Gate.

salih1977, on January 5, 2009, said:

very good.