Here & Now
A series of
five free creative workshops developed by Dover Arts
Development (DAD) run during the Sea Change exhibition in Dover
Discovery Centre.
Dover Castle gets Radical Technicolour Make-over as Medieval
Monarch Revealed as 'King of Spin'
One of England’s most famous castles – Dover Castle - was not
only a fortress but a palace of Versace-esque bling and
entertainment built by a medieval ‘King of Spin’, English Heritage
revealed today (Friday 31st July) as it prepares to
re-open the castle’s Great Tower tomorrow (Saturday 1 August 2009)
with a show-stopping technicolour celebration worthy of one of
history’s biggest show-offs.
Fresh examination of King Henry II’s accounts suggest a spending
frenzy of Elton John proportions as the medieval monarch attempted
to assert his power at a time when the shrine to Thomas Becket at
Canterbury was becoming increasingly popular. The Archbishop was
murdered by followers of the King in 1170. In a PR campaign of
staggering one-up-manship, Henry built The Great Tower at Dover
Castle, one of the most opulent and impressive palaces in medieval
Europe, so that all pilgrims might pass and reflect on his
power.
Now, after two years of research and a £2.45 million investment,
the Great Tower and the power and politics that played out within
its walls have been brought back to life by English Heritage in all
its vivid, almost psychedelic, colour and drama.
On opening night (Saturday 1st August) the exterior
of the Great Tower will become as astonishing and colourful as the
newly re-created interiors when it is transformed by spectacular
technicolour light projections that will dazzle the night sky and
be seen as far as France. In addition, English Heritage will be the
first in the world to use completely new technology to turn one of
the Towers enormous 31m walls into a blank canvas for guests to
“colour-in” using a ‘virtual’ paintbrush. The projections will
include some of the images featured inside the building on a giant
scale in intense colour - including enormous eagles, dragons
and fleur de lys. Also featured will be a 31m high portrait of the
original King of Spin himself - King Henry II.
“Henry II was making an extraordinarily bold statement when he
built the Great Tower. I’m sure he’d have launched it like this if
he’d had the technology. The cult of St Thomas Becket was a
big issue for Henry, and he wanted foreign pilgrims to be greeted
with an in-your-face symbol of his own wealth and power,” said Dr
Edward Impey, directing the Great Tower project for English
Heritage.
The re-displayed Great Tower at Dover Castle is one of the most
significant heritage experiences to open in the UK. It will
challenge any misconceptions of the Middle Ages being dull and drab
with the incredible colour, opulence of the richly furnished
chambers and equally colourful characters. [i]
For further information please contact:
Lucy Fisher/Karen Abrams/Julia Knight or Jenny Orton at
freerange communications on 020 7402 9966
Note to editors:
The Great Tower project at Dover Castle is funded in part by the
Sea Change programme delivered through the Commission for
Architecture and the Built Environment.
Research footnotes:
[1] John Gillingham’s research on the creation of Dover
Castle
Dover’s strategic location and importance as a lynch-pin of
Henry II’s vast Angevin Empire have traditionally been cited as the
main reasons why the Great Tower at Dover Castle was built. But
Professor Gillingham’s research shows that the reason could have
more to do with the personal PR needs of the monarch.
According to the research, the chronology of expenditure shows
that it was in the financial year beginning one month after the
pilgrimage of Louis VII, King of France, to Canterbury in 1179,
that King Henry started construction of the Great Tower and began
to spend more on Dover than on any other castle in England. This
visit was an extraordinary event, the first state visit to England
by any French king, heralding a series of high profile visits to
Becket’s shrine at Canterbury by notable pilgrims and princes from
Europe and afar, all passing through Dover.
Gillingham’s research suggests that Henry was ill-prepared for
the visit and seemed to have been embarrassed with the lack of
appropriate accommodation and ceremonial facilities for Louis’
massive entourage. His own visit to Paris two decades earlier was
received in palatial accommodation and entertained with the finest
wines and elaborate pomp.
Improving the king’s castle at Canterbury was an unpalatable
option because of the proximity to Becket’s shrine. In this place
royal power would always be overshadowed by the power of the saint,
not the message Henry wished to send.
Gillingham concluded, “It is hard not to think that it was this
extraordinary visit [by Louis VII], and the prospect of more to
come, which triggered the king’s decision to build something truly
spectacular at Dover.” In the words of Professor Thomas Keefe, the
historian whose ideas inspired Gillingham to undertake further
research: “Henry built for himself, as his own monument, Dover
Castle, under which all pilgrims might pass and reflect on the
power of the man who was once a saint’s patron, and now patronised
by a saint.”
The King, the Tower and the Saint
Extraordinary medieval interior created by English Heritage
shows Dover Castle was more than a fortress
The huge interior of the keep at Dover Castle has undergone a
£2.45million transformation by English Heritage to re-create the
splendour of a royal court in the late 12th century.
This has been prompted by new research that highlights that King
Henry II (1154 - 1189) built the keep or The Great Tower for PR
reasons rather than for defence: as a magnificent palace so that
all foreign pilgrims on their way to the popular shrine to Thomas
Becket would be greeted with an unequivocal symbol of his own
wealth and power before they reached Canterbury.
The result of the sumptuous re-creation will be unveiled to the
public on 1 August 2009, when the Tower will be spectacularly lit
up at night.
New research by Professor John Gillingham has shown that the
spectre of Thomas Becket, Archbishop of Canterbury, murdered in
1170 by four of the King’s knights, was the main reason for the
king to build something impressive at Dover. The need to erect a
symbol of royal power visible from afar to exploit and counter the
growing cult around the saint was top on his mind, so was the need
to have a suitably grand place to entertain dignitaries who were
passing through Dover to visit Becket’s shrine in Canterbury (see
Notes to Editors).
Professor Gillingham said: “The re-created medieval interior of
the Great Tower will show how Henry was eager to impress his
audience amid the rise of a religious, some say anti-monarchical
cult, around Becket. Improving the king’s castle at Canterbury was
an uncomfortable option because in this place royal power would
always be overshadowed by the power of the saint, not the message
Henry wished to send.”
Dr Edward Impey, director of the project at English Heritage,
said: “The Great Tower is superbly preserved and still gives an
instant impression of the power and ambition of its builder, but up
to now to understand how it might have functioned, looked and felt
in the period of its creation requires a huge leap of the
imagination.
“The newly presented rooms will enable visitors to gain a
startling and fresh view onto the world of 12th century
life, power and politics in the building in which they were played
out.”
The project is one of the most significant heritage tourism
developments in the UK, the fruits of over two years of research by
English Heritage, with a team of historians working closely with
numerous artists and traditional craftspeople.
The interiors of the King’s Hall, the King’s Chamber, the
Guests’ Hall, the Guests’ Chamber, the privy kitchen and the
armoury will all be furnished to evoke their original appearance.
An extraordinary array of furniture and decorative items, from
hand-painted wall hangings, embroidered textiles and the King’s
throne to a Mappa Mundi (world map) and 21 oak doors made
using 12th-century joinery techniques, has been made
using authentic materials and traditional methods.
Pepper’s Ghosts (light projections of moving figures), costumed
re-enactors and audio-visual presentation will add atmosphere and
drama about gossip and rumour of Henry’s complex family and court
life, transporting visitors back to one of the most turbulent
periods of European history.
Like the kings of England since his great-grandfather, William
the Conqueror, Henry was not English. He built the largest European
empire of his age, stretching from Scotland to the Pyrenees – the
Angevin Empire. A new exhibition will highlight how he inherited
and expanded it, and how his son, King John, lost half if it.
The project has been made possible by the Government’s Sea
Change Programme which has awarded some £8million to the town of
Dover to drive regeneration and economic growth.
Dover Castle is one of English Heritage’s flagship sites,
attracting over 300,000 visitors a year. It is open to the public
daily between 1 April and 1 November. Please call 01304 205 108 to
check opening hours.
[ENDS]
For further press information please contact Renee Fok, English
Heritage Corporate Communications on 020 7973 3297 or at renee.fok@english-heritage.org.uk
Images of the re-created Great Tower interior are available from
http://www.picselect.com/
under Arts/English Heritage/Dover Castle Great Tower Project
NOTES TO EDITORS
1. John Gillingham’s research on the origins of The
Great Tower at Dover Castle
Dover’s strategic location and importance as a lynch-pin of
Henry II’s vast Angevin Empire have traditionally been cited as the
main reasons why the Great Tower at Dover Castle was built. But
Professor Gillingham’s research shows that the reason could have
more to do with the personal PR needs of the monarch.
According to the research, the chronology of expenditure shows
that it was in the financial year beginning one month after the
pilgrimage of Louis VII, King of France, to Canterbury in 1179,
that King Henry started construction of the Great Tower and began
to spend more on Dover than on any other castle in England. This
visit was an extraordinary event, the first state visit to England
by any French king, heralding a series of high profile visits to
Becket’s shrine at Canterbury by notable pilgrims and princes from
Europe and afar, all passing through Dover.
Gillingham’s research suggests that Henry was ill-prepared for
the visit and seemed to have been embarrassed with the lack of
appropriate accommodation and ceremonial facilities for Louis’
massive entourage. His own visit to Paris two decades earlier was
received in palatial accommodation and entertained with the finest
wines and elaborate pomp.
Improving the king’s castle at Canterbury was an unpalatable
option because of the proximity to Becket’s shrine. In this place
royal power would always be overshadowed by the power of the saint,
not the message Henry wished to send.
Gillingham concluded, “It is hard not to think that it was this
extraordinary visit [by Louis VII], and the prospect of more to
come, which triggered the king’s decision to build something truly
spectacular at Dover.” In the words of Professor Thomas Keefe, the
historian whose ideas inspired Gillingham to undertake further
research: “Henry built for himself, as his own monument, Dover
Castle, under which all pilgrims might pass and reflect on the
power of the man who was once a saint’s patron, and now patronised
by a saint.”
2. Sea Change Funding Programme
Sea Change is a funding program from CABE (the Commission for
architecture and the built environment). It aims to drive cultural
and creative regeneration and economic growth in seaside towns by
funding inspiring, creative and innovative projects, bringing a
sense of pride, enjoyment and celebration. Anyone interested in
finding out more about the Sea Change programme or getting involved
in some of the projects can find out more at http://www.seachangedover.co.uk/
or can visit the exhibition in the Discovery Centre from July
15th 2009.
Kent County Council News Release, Ref No: 204/09, 15 July
2009
What do you Make of Dover?
Dovorians are being invited to be involved with an exciting new
project to help give the town a better future.
The appeal comes as the Make Dover exhibition is opening this
week at Dover Discovery Centre.
Local residents are invited to visit and give their views on
proposed seafront designs for Dover Esplanade. The exhibition
organisers also want to find out what cultural activities people
are currently involved in, where they are currently doing them and
what their aspirations for the future may be.
The exhibition includes information about projects currently
progressing, including a Cultural Survey, Sea Front Enhancement,
Cable Car Feasibility Study, Bleriot Monument refurbishment and
Dover Castle refurbishment.
This is part of the Sea Change programme, which includes a
cultural survey and framework for Dover as one of its main
projects.
Funding Partners for Sea Change are Kent County Council, Dover
District Council, English Heritage, SEEDA and Dover Harbour Board.
The projects are all supported by Dover Pride as part of the wider
regeneration plans going forward.
Chairman of Dover Pride, KCC Cabinet Member for Regeneration
Kevin Lynes, said: “There are some very exciting projects in the
pipeline for Dover. We want to hear the views of Dover residents
about how we should take these forward.”
Anyone interested in finding out more about the Sea Change
programme or getting involved in some of the projects and workshops
can find out more at http://www.seachangedover.co.uk/
or http://www.dadonline.eu/. The
exhibition in Dover Discovery Centre is on from this Thursday July
16th to 1st September.
Dover Arts Development is also involved in the cultural survey.
To coincide with the exhibition they have developed a series of
free workshops open to members of the public starting on July
25th.
Here and Now is a series of five free creative workshops part
funded by Dover Town Council and Sea Change. They include:
- Saturday, 25th July from 11am – 12.30pm “Drawing
with the Body,” a creative movement workshop with Bim Malcomson,
assisted by Jason Jordaan. All ages welcome. No prior dance
training required.
- Saturday 1st August from 11am – 1pm “Fake Cake Bake – Have your
cake and eat it,” a culinary exploration with Edda Venusia Jones.
All ages welcome. No prior baking or fake cake making skills
required.
- Saturday 8th August from 11am – 1pm “Portrait drawing” with
Nicola Durvasula. All ages welcome. The workshop is for
anyone wishing to learn more about drawing and portraiture.
- Saturday 15th august from 11am – 1pm “Join the Chocolution,” a
revolutionary workshop with Kieran Renihan and Jake Lawy. All ages
welcome. No prior cooking skills required. A love of chocolate is
essential.
- Saturday 22nd august from 11am – 1pm “Can you draw me a
_____?” with Clare Smith. All ages welcome. Ranging from no drawing
skills to highly skilled.
Notes to Editors:
Sea change is a funding program from CABE (the Commission for
architecture and the Built Environment). CABE is a
government-funded organisation whose aim through the Sea Change
programme is to drive cultural and creative regeneration and
economic growth in seaside towns by funding inspiring, creative and
innovative projects, bringing a sense of pride, enjoyment and
celebration. Dover has recently received about £8 million through a
successful bid to CABE. Sea Change is about connecting cultures
- Connecting the Castle with the town and sea front;
- Connecting Dover with a wide range of opportunities through the
High speed rail link and port facilities;
- Connecting existing cultural activities and businesses together
to create stronger clusters of key importance to the community and
visitors;
As the town develops one of the key aims of the Sea Change
programme and Dover Pride as the wider regeneration body for the
town is to encourage community involvement in the project at key
stages in order to strengthen the community pride in Dover as a
place to live, work and for people to visit. A key to this
regeneration is heritage and how to display it, ensuring that it
plays a major part in the regeneration of Dover through the wider
community.
Dover Arts Development Ltd is an artist-led, non-profit making
company, committed to bringing high quality contemporary art to
Dover, supporting artists’ practice, stimulating cultural
activity in Dover, contributing to the local economy and
making Dover an exciting place to live. DAD plays an advocacy role
for the arts generally and particularly in Dover District, where it
supports current strategies for the public realm and regeneration
set in place by Kent County Council, Dover Pride and Dover District
Council.
…ends…
For further information contact Phil Scrivener at Kent County
Council Media Centre on 01622 694013 or e-mail phil.scrivener@kent.gov.uk
More news releases are available online at www.kent.gov.uk/news
23 September 2008
MAJOR
INVESTMENT PROGRAMME FOR DOVER CASTLE
The keep at Dover Castle is to undergo a
major transformation over the next year as part of a wider £5
million investment programme at the castle, to greatly enhance the
visitor experience and bring to life the centrepiece of this
historic castle.
Situated at the heart of the castle, it was
built for Henry II’s court to accommodate and entertain important
guests and is one of the largest and most elaborate keeps ever
constructed. The current exhibition on the preparations for a
visit by Henry VIII will be replaced by a new experience that will
evoke the keep’s appearance in the 1180s during Henry II’s
reign. It will also be given its original name of the Great
Tower.
The interiors over three floors will be
dressed to represent a series of suites of rooms as they would have
looked at the time and will include the King’s Hall containing his
throne, the King’s Chamber where Henry II would have slept, the
Great Hall where the King and his entourage would have taken their
meals, and the Guest Chamber where important guests would have
slept. The kitchens and royal armoury will also be
re-created.
The rooms will contain furniture, wall
hangings, artefacts and all the baggage of the itinerant royal
household at this time, most of which will be painstakingly
recreated by skilled craftspeople.
Commenting on this innovative project, Tracey
Wahdan, English Heritage’s Visitor Operations Director for the
South East said: “Dover Castle has an incredibly long and
rich history, having served as a vital strategic centre since Roman
times. It is one of English Heritage’s flagship sites,
attracting over 300,000 visitors a year making it our second most
visited site after Stonehenge.
“By transforming the great tower so that
visitors can immerse themselves in the life of Henry II’s court of
12th century England, we believe that people will not
only be inspired and excited by this wonderful period of history
but also that it will help to bring the castle to life in an
imaginative and innovative way.
“This is a major project for English
Heritage and a great deal of meticulous research has gone into
planning the interiors as they would have looked in the
1180s. To bring this project to fruition involves a very wide
range of specialists including historians, craftspeople, artists
and conservation experts. But as guardians of the historic
environment we are passionate about our subject and believe firmly
in carrying out projects to the highest standards.”
The story of day to day life in the great
tower will be told by a series of Pepper’s Ghosts* and during peak
times by costumed interpreters.
There will also be a new exhibition in
Arthur’s Hall just next to the Great Tower, to provide visitors
with a general introduction to the medieval period and to the life,
times and family of Henry II. It will explain how the Great
Tower was used and highlight the importance of Dover at that time
as a link between Henry II’s vast properties in England and France.
Work on transforming the interior of the
keep, to cost over £2 million, will begin in November 2008 and open
to the public in summer 2009. The funding for this part of
the project and a new visitor admissions building to replace the
current temporary structure, will come from the Government’s Sea
Change Programme, which awarded over £10 million to three English
seaside resorts this year, including the town of Dover.
A planning application for the new admissions
building has just been submitted to Dover Council. If
successful work will begin in November of this year and the
building would open to the public in June 2009.
Other elements of the investment programme to
take place at Dover Castle over the next three years and to be
funded by English Heritage to the tune of £2.5 million include:
- Conservation of the Officers’ New Barracks so that it can be
opened to visitors in the future
- Updating the Secret Wartime Tunnels, which have proved to be
one of the castle’s most popular features. Work on improving the
presentation and interpretation of the tunnels will begin in 2010
re-opening to the public in 2011.
- ends -
For further press information and images,
please contact Rebecca Milton in the English Heritage Press Office
on 0207 973 3295.
Note to editors
A Pepper’s Ghost is an optical illusion that
simulates a moving hologram-like character in three dimensional
space. They will be used to help tell the story of the Great
Tower at Dover Castle in the 1180s.