The White Cliffs of Dover

Background: Castles of this time period were built for three reasons: defensive, residential, and as status symbols. Henry II, who ascended the throne in 1154 and was the great grandson of William the Conqueror, commissioned the building of the castle at Dover. His attentions were divided between France and England.

Experience: I hadn’t realized how huge this fortress was. Looking at the view of miles in every direction by both land and sea, it wasn’t at all hard to determine why they picked this particular location to construct Dover castle.
It was neat, and very entertaining, to see the simulation with the king and his attendants of what the castle court life might have been like. He, pretending to be King Henry II, as well as a woman meant to be a princess visiting from France, had several of the girls from our group come forward and kneel. They were presented by the king’s herald as nuns from Rome, sent by Pope Lucius II. He acknowledged what a giggly group they were, and a few of the other girls and I, while laughing, decided we had maybe better move on to see more of the castle to avoid also being presented to the king.
The secret war tunnels in the side of the hill adjacent to the fortress were used during World War II, and were very interesting to see. It’s fascinating to me that such old, historical structures throughout Europe were utilized during the world wars. I can’t help but be curious what the knights and kings of old would think if they could see modern artillery and warfare amidst a setting so familiar to them. It is incredible how dramatically things have changed over hundreds of years.
The famous white cliffs of Dover were absolutely stunningly beautiful. It was so serene to walk along the beach, breathe in the salty, cool air, the breeze whipping my hair across my face. Hundreds of dying mussels were strewn along the length of the rocky beach, where waves gently rolled in. I can now definitely relate with poets and artists who find inspiration in the beauty of their surroundings.