Napoleonic Dover Castle Flashcards
Why did William Pitts government spend huge sum of money improving Dovers defences?
Pitt spent a large sum of money adding gun batteries, new barracks and other defences to protect Dover during to the growing threat from Napoleon (French invasion)
How did William Twiss adapt the castle in response to threat of invasion from France?
-replaced Henry II’s great tower’s roof with brick vaults to support guns
-oversaw the building of 7 new underground tunnels to hold 2000 soldiers
-built a well for clean drinking water
-installed sewers (removed cesspits)
-the medical tunnels were extended and protective passages were added
When did William Twiss oversea the building of 7 new underground passages?
Between 1797 and 1798
How was the church of St Mary in Castro used during Napoleonic times?
Used as a fives (squash) court for soldiers
How did soldiers vandalise St Mary’s Church in Castro?
They inscribed anti-napoleon graffiti onto the doors
How was the napoleonic era a time of new war fare and how did this make Dover in threat?
-armies and navies has much heavier weapons meaning they must land at ports rather than batches (made Dover more vulnerable)
-artillery could be fired form sea meaning Dover had to improve its defences
How did William Twiss adapt Dover due to threat of invasion from France?
-built 7 more tunnels that could house up to 2000 soldiers with the great tower and inner baileys also adapted to hold soldiers
-replaced the roof of Henry II great tower with brick vaults to support guns
-medieval tunnels expanded and adapted
-protective passages added
Who was Prime Minister during the Napoleonic era and how much did he spend on improving Dover’s defences?
William Pitt and his government spent £80,000 on Dover Castle to counter the threat of Napoleon
How did the Napoleanic era reveal armies beginning to care more about the hygiene and welfare of soldiers?
-soldiers were given iron beds rather than wooden ones which would contain insects and vermin
-400 ft well was built for clean drinking water
-engineers installed sewers to replace cesspits
What features of Dover reveal soldiers had a lot of spare free time waiting for invasion and the psychology of war?
-Church of St Mary in Castro used as a court for playing fives (squash)
-soldiers may have carved anti-napoleon inscriptions around the castle while facing threat of invasion from France
