Dover Castle has stood as a fortress on the Kent coast for more than 900 years, a site of power and conflict on the English coastline. Much of the castle we see today was built at great expense by Henry II in the late 12th century. He created the most advanced castle in Europe, and a stronghold designed to defend England’s shores and cow the enemy.
Over many centuries, it has been the site of great battles, the home of royalty and, today, is managed by English Heritage, giving visitors the opportunity to explore the towers, tunnels and walls that tell a rich story of England’s past.
Among the many figures to have shaped Dover Castle’s history is the intriguing Eleanor de Montfort, a 13th-century noblewoman who was present during one of its most dramatic chapters.
Dover’s defiant lady
Born in 1215, the year her father King John agreed to Magna Carta, Eleanor de Montfort – or Eleanor of England – came into the world against the backdrop of a changing country with the crown at odds with the rebellious barons (nobles). In this era of upheaval, the castle was to find itself at the centre of the struggle between these rivals.
It was during the Second Barons’ War (1264-1267), that Eleanor took on a key role at Dover, defending the castle against an attack by the army of her brother, Henry III, led by her nephew Prince Edward (more of which later).
Throughout her life, Eleanor defied the expectations placed on women of her rank and time. She was widowed in 1231, seven years after her arranged marriage, at just nine years of age, to William Marshal, 2nd Earl of Pembroke. Despite the limited rights of women in the 13th century, she actively fought to regain her rights when her brother-in-law, Richard Marshal, seized her late husband’s assets to settle debts.
In 1234, she took a vow of chastity, possibly as a strategy to secure her property, but broke it in 1238 when she secretly married Simon de Montfort, a French nobleman who became the Earl of Leicester. Their union caused a rift with the king who later claimed he only agreed to sanction it because de Montfort had seduced Eleanor.
In the decades that followed, Henry III came into increasing conflict with de Montfort and the barons. The two sides vehemently disagreed over how the country should be governed, with the barons growing increasingly unhappy about Henry III’s financial mismanagement and his favouritism towards foreign advisers. Meanwhile, the king became frustrated with the barons’ demands that he establish a council of nobles to oversee his rule – a condition he believed restricted his royal authority.
These tensions erupted in 1264 and resulted in the outbreak of war, with Eleanor’s husband leading the baronial forces against the king’s royalists – a conflict that would eventually lead to the siege of Dover Castle.
At first things went well for the barons and in May 1264 their forces triumphed at the Battle of Lewes. With King Henry and his son Prince Edward held prisoner, De Montfort effectively became ruler of England. During this period, Eleanor lived at Odiham Castle in Hampshire, where household documents – unusually well-preserved for the era – give us an insight into her daily life, while her husband was away governing the realm.
But after Prince Edward’s escape from captivity, hostilities resumed in May 1265, an event that saw Eleanor move to Dover Castle for safety. Here, her role wasn’t just ceremonial – she had real political influence. Dover’s key location overlooking the English Channel made it a gateway to the continent, meaning messages and important visitors from France or Rome were likely to pass through.
Surviving documents to the end of August 1265, suggest Eleanor took an active role in running the castle and organising its defence. She ate most meals with her household in the great hall, entertained important guests and kept political detainees in its prison cells, while remaining in contact with her husband about military movements.
Her accounts detail purchases of food, wine, cloth and spices, and it’s thought she managed a vast household of chaplains, stewards, cooks, maids and ladies-in-waiting.
A woman besieged
Things changed quickly as the king’s forces grew in strength. In early August, Prince Edward – later King Edward I – led his troops to a decisive victory at the Battle of Evesham, a clash in which De Montfort and his eldest son Henry were killed.
Despite her grief, the widowed Eleanor set her sights on holding Dover Castle. She took on the role of commander, even though it was almost unheard-of in the 13th century, and prepared her defences.
But her plans were undermined when Royalist prisoners persuaded their guards to help them escape, and they took control of the keep. The emboldened Prince Edward who laid siege to the castle.
Under attack from inside and out, her courage and strategy were vital to holding the castle, if only for a short time. Eleanor negotiated a surrender in October and was exiled to France where she died in 1275.
Walk around Dover Castle today and you can see the areas where these events unfolded. The great tower, or keep, which was captured by royalist prisoners, the castle walls and fortifications. Visitors can walk in Eleanor’s footsteps through the very rooms where she lived and worked.
Despite her ultimate defeat, her courage marks her as a remarkable woman who defied the expectations of her time – a good reason to still celebrate her memory today.
Visit the mighty Dover Castle to discover more about its long and exciting history. There are lots more places to visit in Kent, from Walmer and Deal castles to the Richborough Roman fort – making the county a great place to visit as a member. Dover and Walmer also have holiday cottages you can stay in.
