Kent has an impressive collection of castles, over sixty including the scanty ruins and earthwork remains of now vanished ones, as well as the more celebrated castles, such as Leeds, Rochester and Dover. Because of their picturesque and dramatic appearance they have often been the subject of antique prints, and early photographs and in Castles of Kent Through Time author John Guy draws on his extensive collection of historical images of Kent castles to produce an illustrated history through the ages, charting the castles’ changing fortunes over the decades. Many are now ruined, when once they were homes and fortresses. Others, like Allington, have been transformed from ruins back into habitable and very comfortable homes, while others, such as Dover, have been in continuous military use right across the centuries from the Iron Age through to the Second World War. Just a few, like Westenhanger, which once was a completely overgrown ruin, have since been rescued and brought back into use.
This fascinating selection of old and new images of the castles of Kent shows how castles, which are often perceived as static elements of the historic landscape, are, in fact, ever changing. It will be essential reading for all those who are interested in the history of the county.
