Sandown Castle, Tudor artillery fort ruins in Deal, England
Sandown Castle is a ruined coastal fort near Deal that featured a central keep surrounded by four circular bastions connected by defensive walls. The structure was protected by a moat and designed specifically to support heavy artillery fire from its elevated positions.
Henry VIII commissioned this coastal defense fort in 1539 as part of a wider scheme to protect England against French and Spanish invasion. The structure was part of a chain of similar forts built along the English coast during this period of heightened military tension.
The castle represents the transition in military architecture from medieval designs to structures adapted for artillery and gunpowder warfare.
The remains can be accessed from the beach during low tide, about one mile north of Deal Castle. It is best to visit during lower tide times when more of the foundations become visible and easier to explore.
After its demolition in 1882, the fort's stones were salvaged and used in local sea defenses, later being encased in concrete during the 1980s. This transformation meant the original fort became part of the modern coastal protection infrastructure of the area.
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