EAW004690 ENGLAND (1947). Saltwood Castle, Saltwood, 1947

Orchard Field Shaw

Grange Farm

Castle Road

Grange Road

Saltwood Castle Grade 1 listed building English Heritage Building ID: 175639. Post code CT21 4QU. In private ownership, no general public access. The present castle stands on the site of earlier castles, the first one being reported to have been constructed in 488 Castle. Largely ruinous. Core of inner curtain wall C12 (or possibly C11). Rest C12, C13 and C14. Late C14 work by Archbishop Courtenay. Archbishop Lanfranc took Saltwood into his personal possession in 1086; it apparently remained the property of the archbishops for much of the Middle Ages. Murder of Thomas a Becket said to have been planned here (1170)- at the time the Castle was in the hands of Runulf de Broc and Thomas was seeking the return of the Castle to the Church. The square towers of the inner ward probably date from around 1160 and the round towers of the outer ward or barbican are 14th century. The arms of Archbishop Courtney distinguish the great gatehouse built when he made the castle his chief residence from 1382. 1385 extension to gatehouse Probably ruined by earthquake in 1580. Restoration and additions of 1880s by F. Beeston, and by Philip Tilden in 1930s. Somewhat protected in WW2 as Hermann Goering wished to use the castle post-invasion.

Railway line. Formerly a branch line with Sanderling to the left of the image and Sandgate to the right. At Sanderling the line joins the Ashford-Folkestone line which remains in use. In 1931 the track here was made single track and to the bottom of the image was curtailed to Hythe. This railway line was closed in 1951.