The western ditch must belong to the earliest phases of the castle, and must have been here by the time the 13th century curtain wall was completed, or soon after. Although significant alterations were undertaken in the 1790s to the western defences this side of the castle does remain closer to its medieval appearance than the northern and eastern sides and the medieval ditch remains (albeit deepened at the end of the 18th century) immediately outside the medieval curtain wall and a second ditch was added beyond this, again in the 1790s. (1-2)

<1> English Heritage, 2014, Dover Castle Conservation Management Plan Volume 2 Gazetteer (Unpublished document). SKE52105.

<2> Johnathan Coad, 1995, English Heritage Book of Dover Castle and the Defences of Dover (Monograph). SKE52106.