Henry VIII’s main objective was to prevent enemy troops of the European Catholic powers from getting ashore at the Downs, Kent. And to achieve that aim he built a series of heavily armed artillery castles along the Kent Coast. Deal Castle is the most elaborate of these remaining today – sixty cannon (with a range of one mile) facing the sea and inside dark and narrow corridors adding to the castle’s defensive capabilities should it be breached. As a deterrent it was highly effective – combined with diplomacy the castle never saw enemy action in Tudor times.
Photographs (c) Essential History
Just finished a book called Bloody Crowns about the Hundred Years war…should have been called Bloody Clowns for all those Kingly expeditions that captured/recaptured French & Low Country land…over and over…
Hello Dave! Great to hear from you. Ha, Britain’s claim to France, went on a while… Mind you,, 2 of the 3 lions on the shirt are from French lands! Not many English soccer fans know that today! Thanks for commenting, all the best. Callum