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Deal Castle is an artillery fort constructed by Henry VIII in Deal, Kent, between 1539 and 1540. It formed part of the King's Device programme to protect against invasion from France and the Holy Roman Empire, and defended the strategically important Downs anchorage off the English coast.

Description

Deal Castle is an artillery fort constructed by Henry VIII in Deal, Kent, between 1539 and 1540. It formed part of the King's Device programme to protect against invasion from France and the Holy Roman Empire, and defended the strategically important Downs anchorage off the English coast.

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Really enjoyed visiting deal castle. It's a bit empty but that's what I liked, given you the chance to see the work and craftsmanship that went into building the castle. Compared to Walmer castle which has rooms fully furnished, roped off a bit like a museum. A lot of the old furniture from deal castle is kept at Walmer castle as deal is not suitable conditions. Deal castle is the complete opposite to a museum. You can even go down a dark narrow staircase to the lower depths of the castle and go full circle around the castle in a dark creepy tunnel like passage. At one point I was thinking should we even be down here as I turned on the light on my phone and went pass flood warning signs but that was all part of the experience and excitement. Kids can play and roam freely here. Parking easy. Staff extremely friendly, pleasant and informative.

Kevin SaintKevin Saint
30
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Often visit Deal Castle with our two young great nieces who take great delight in pretending to be Princesses! It's not a big castle and can be easily explored within a few hours. This makes it ideal to do in conjunction with neighbouring Walmer Castle and from a historical view makes an interesting comparison. There are no gardens to explore and no cafe at Deal (unlike Walmer) however it's location on the seafront near to the town means there's the beach and ample food outlets nearby. If the weather is wet remember to bring your boots as its fun to explore The Rounds (the tunnels that run inside the castle walls at moat level) but sometimes they flood slightly. Also remember a torch too as they're unlit - and some little ones might find them a bit intense!

Jake SCOCJake SCOC
70
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I was expecting a few more rooms to be restored with original looking furnishings but what was there was informative. Considering when it was built, the feat of engineering is amazing and the tunnels are impressive but when the car park is a 3 hour maximum, you know it won't be a long visit. Easy to do Deal and Walmer in a day. All self led and the staff are informative and friendly but I just think there could have been a bit more...something. Don't go expecting Tudor tales - Hampton Court and the Tower are for that but for a place to imagine soldiers running through cramped tunnels and get a feel for life 500 years ago, it's great. Saw everything in about 90 minutes so a good starter to the day.

Samantha ColeSamantha Cole
10
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Situated next to the sea, the castle design not only looks great, but also engages you in the thought process of defense, battle and protection. The geometry and build of the castle is really worthwhile seeing, making lego like new builds seem rather boring in comparison. It sparks the imagination and enforces the connection between nature / geometry. Only gave 4 starts as you can go around it quite quickly, so would love to see more exhibitions, or better yet stalls / entertainment in the moat area... Staff were very nice and good parking facilities considering being next to the coast. Overall, its well worth a visit along with other attractions in the area. Part of a fun day for sure.

Theo GullandTheo Gulland
00
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Lots of original features of the castle on display, but not actually labeled or explained in any way - very disappointed in lack of educational material. The castle has had quite a face lift inside with the stone walls covered in painted plaster which strips away what I love about castles really, though it will stop children from saying 'ugh its so old looking' I guess. Focuses on the historical people of the castle with audio clips and quotes from diary entries. Highlight of the castle I would say is the underground run. Slightly flooded, but they provide lots of wellies and a prop wwII rifle to explore the run - the torch on your phone will help you here!

Melanie ClementsMelanie Clements
00
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A Wet day was perfect for a visit. Lovely man on the door who told us a little about the castle. We then wandered around and seemed to be the only people there although I had seen others enter. It's fun to just wander round and as I have no sense of direction pretty sure I entered rooms twice! Tunnels were dark and slightly scary (I imagined people hiding behind each corner). The rooms where the captain lived were interesting and a contrast to the lower rooms which were bare. Would have liked a few more pointers in what the lower rooms were used for (I had to make up my own story for that) but well worth a visit.

Jo DJo D
30
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Reviews

4.4(1.3K reviews)

Phone

+44 370 333 1181

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Website

english-heritage.org.uk

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Deep Dive

A deep dive into Deal Castle
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