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One thousand years of History surrounds the Castle with Roman and Saxon occupation in the area.
The earliest written evidence of occupation on site is when King Canute in 1034 granted the manor to his Bishop Eadsin of St.Martin’s Canterbury.
It stayed in the Church’s ownership until 1067 when William I granted it to Sir William d’Auberville. Over the following years it passed through many noble families until in the early 1500s when Henry VIII, on an overnight visit, took a liking to the manor and took it for himself. He stayed here on four occasions. It stayed in royal ownership until Elizabeth I (who also stayed on several occasions) granted it to her customs collector Thomas Smythe. His descendants owned the manor until the late 1600s.
During the Tudor period this fortified manor house was the second largest in Kent with 126 rooms and 60 hearths. Sadly over the years from the early 1700s to the mid 1990s it was allowed to deteriorate and reduce in size.
For the past fifteen years a programme of consolidation and restoration has taken place with the help of English Heritage.
One of the Medieval Barns has recently been restored, the only barn in the country built with a Hammerbeam roof and in 2011 was the winner of the English Heritage Angel Award for the best craftsmanship employed on a heritage rescue.
We are at present reconstructing Henry VIII’s Tudor Kitchen and on-going work can be viewed.
A replica of the 1607 ship Discovery is on display at the castle. The original took settlers to Jamestown in Virginia who founded the first permanent English speaking colony in America.
2 for 1 on daytime Brewery Tours on Wednesdays and Thursdays in January & February
Subject to availability
Tags: East Kent Castles Heritage Attractions January February April May June July August September October November December
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