Deal Castle
Deal Castle things to do, attractions, restaurants, events info and trip planning
Plan your stay
&promo_pic=/one-page/coolest.jpg)
Posts
Castle in Deal,Kent built by Henry VIII along with other coastal defences including Walmer Castle. There is not really all that much to see here. You'll have to use your imagination and think how things would have been. Inside at the Mote level you can walk all the way around and imagine what life would have been like as a soldier based there. The ground floor has a few displays and there are some information boards and some fixed audio guides you can listen to. It's also possible to go up one more level and see the accomodation areas although these are mostly bare now. Outside you can walk around and see where cannons were situated and enjoy a lovely view of the Kent coast. There are some info boards to read in that area too! There is a small shop and there are toilets but no refreshment facilities, if you walk along the coastal path for about five minutes you will find a couple of places to get food and drink. English Heritage members can use the car park free of charge by displaying an in date parking sticker and obtaining a free ticket from the parking machine. Non members are charged at £1.80 per hour. The car park is monitored by the local council so please adhere to the parking rules or face a penalty. Walmer Castle is just 5 minutes away, that's English Heritage too and has more to offer. Dover Castle,also English Heritage is 7 miles away and you'll need around 5 hours for your visit there.
W W Howe
00
A stout Tudor castle commissioned by Henry VIII as part of a long line of sea defences located at intervals along the entire south coast of England. Deal Castle's low profile and circular towers are typical of these Tudor defences, and would have helped it remain hidden from invading forces. The relatively unassuming appearance hides an impressively large interior, with numerous rooms and tunnels to explore. The deepest of the passages can be flooded in areas so bring robust footwear if you're planning to explore it. Family friendly exhibits inside cover the castle's history and stories of those who occupied it, while guided tours run at intervals for those interested in learning more. Facilities are good, with a decent size onsite parking area, gift shop and toilets. The castle is in a prime position overlooking the channel, a few minutes walk from the centre of town. Tickets can be booked on the day, but there's a discount for booking in advance online. Adult tickets are £9, not unreasonable for what there is to see. Walmer Castle, a former royal residence with attractive gardens, is about 25 minutes walk south along the coast.
Andrew Thomas
00
This English Heritage site is an impressive historic fortress right on the coast, built by Henry VIII as part of his chain of coastal artillery forts. It’s shorter in stature than expected but right on the coast. Can see and read most things in about 30 minutes. Visitor experience is varied and has a few main parts: Lower floors: Empty chambers except for walls and a sign or two. A little dark in places so may want your phone’s torch. Upper middle floor exhibition: A couple of rooms that provide some historical context about its construction and the workers involved during Henry VIII’s time Upper top floors apartments: Apartments from the 18th-19th century. Mostly empty, but did have signs about some key individuals and timelines. Outside battlements: A couple of cannons and view of the coast and moat, but few to no signs. Facilities: Two unisex toilets are adequate. Small shop (no cafe). Car park nearby was packed when we were there but nearby free street parking also available.
Becky T
00
The most perfectly preserved of all of Henry VIII's artillery castles, built low and strong to defend the safe anchorage off Deal, known as "The Downs". It's complete and pretty much untouched. Delightfully you can see virtually all of it, despite the COVID restrictions, by means of a decent one way system courtesy of English Heritage. It's small and compact, it is an artillery platform, not a grand fortress like older Norman castles, but its sheer strength (18ft thick walls) and complex design make for a fascinating visit for all ages. Plenty of spooky passages when you descend into the basement and walk "The Rounds" a series of defensive openings and passages around the base of all the towers. Great views to the sea from the top as well. It will only take you an hour or so to go round, but Deal itself is such a fascinating place, so there are plenty of other things to do.
S DD
00
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 Saint
00
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 SCOC
00
Nearby Attractions Of Deal Castle
Tides Leisure & Tennis Centre
Deal Castle Beach
Deal Timeball Tower
Deal Maritime and Local History Museum
Walmer Beach
Tides Leisure & Tennis Centre
3.7
(294)
Click for details
Deal Castle Beach
4.6
(97)
Click for details
Deal Timeball Tower
4.6
(40)
Click for details
Deal Maritime and Local History Museum
4.6
(23)
Click for details
Nearby Restaurants Of Deal Castle
The Sir Norman Wisdom - JD Wetherspoon
The Lane
Deal Pier Kitchen
Queen Street Tap
The Court Yard Bar and Restaurant
The Sea Cafe
Goose on the Green
Kings Coffee Shop
The Bohemian
Kings Head
The Sir Norman Wisdom - JD Wetherspoon
4.0
(926)
Click for details
The Lane
4.6
(424)
Click for details
Deal Pier Kitchen
4.5
(433)
Click for details
Queen Street Tap
4.2
(426)
$$
Click for details
Learn more insights from Wanderboat AIBasic Info
Address
Marine Rd, Walmer, Deal CT14 7BA, United Kingdom
Map
Phone
+44 370 333 1181
Call
Website
english-heritage.org.uk
Visit
Reviews
Overview
4.4
(1.4K reviews)
Ratings & Description
cultural
outdoor
family friendly
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.
attractions: Tides Leisure & Tennis Centre, Deal Castle Beach, Deal Timeball Tower, Deal Maritime and Local History Museum, Walmer Beach, restaurants: The Sir Norman Wisdom - JD Wetherspoon, The Lane, Deal Pier Kitchen, Queen Street Tap, The Court Yard Bar and Restaurant, The Sea Cafe, Goose on the Green, Kings Coffee Shop, The Bohemian, Kings Head
- Please manually select your location for better experience