Appledore Castle

Description

Tradition says that a ' castle ' stood where is now the church, and that it was destroyed by the French in 1380. If there be truth in this tradition we should think it just possible that the church stands within the area of what was an extensive outer court of a stronghold of, perhaps, early Norman days. On the south-west, where the ridge ends abruptly, in a commanding position overlooking the ancient waterways, is a small mount, wholly or partly of artificial construction, which may be a burial tumulus but is more likely the base of a keep-mount. Round part of it is a ditch, probably the poor remnant of a fosse filled with the accumu- lated detritus of the mount, and close by on the steep hill-side are traces of a spring of water, while on the other side, nearer the church, is a piece of level ground which, though now neither fossed nor ramparted, may well have been the base court of the keep.' (VCH)

South-west of Appledore, where the ridge ends, is a mound which may be a tumulus but is more likely to be a castle mount. It is partially enclosed by a filled-in ditch. On the side nearer the church is a piece of level ground which may have been a bailey, though there is no trace of ditch or rampart. Remains of a spring are evident on the hillside. There is the tradition of a 'castle' (destroyed 1380) on the site of the present church. This is windmill mound measuring 28.0m in diameter and about 1.5m in height, and surrounded by a ditch except on the south east side. There are three causeways across the ditch leading to the top of the mound. Symondson's map of Kent (1596) shows a windmill here. (Kent HER)

Comments

Tradition of castle reported by Kilburne in 1659 'upon the ruines of that Castle the present Church was builded (the situation whereof rendreth the same probable)' The manorial centre appears to be at Hornes Place, though this may only date from C13, which is when Grade 1 listed parish church dates from. This position would guard a river crossing in a marshy area where the road way was probably much confined and this represents one of the few ways off Dungeness. Camden writes "Apledore, where a confused rable of Danish and Norman Pirates, which under the conduct of one Hasting had sore annoied the French coasts, loaden with booties, landed and built a Castle, whom notwithstanding King Aelfred by his valour enforced to accept conditions of peace." This would suggest a temporary Viking camp, certainly a possibility.
It is possible that this tradition of a battle with the Danes has become confabulated with a later Norman castle and the location somehow slightly misplaced. The 'Court Lodge' house name in the supposed bailey is also suggestive of this being a manorial centre. However, the confabulation of histories and the weakness of physical evidence suggest much fanciful story telling rather than a genuine lost castle site. It may well be the mound at the given map reference was only ever a millstead. The tradition was the church, at TQ957292, was the site of a castle.