Spotlight Thursday – The St. Mary in Castro Church in Dover Castle

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St. Mary in Castro
Every Thursday, I will be posting a photo from my travels and a spotlight on the location. Today’s Spotlight Thursday is from the grounds of Dover Castle in Dover, Kent, England.  This is the St. Mary in Castro Church.  I visited Dover Castle as part of my 2015 trip to England while job hunting.  I spent a day exploring the historic castle, church and grounds that has seen / been part of much of England’s history.  Dover has played a critical role in both the defence and offence of England.

I walked from the town of Dover to the top of the raised cliff that is home to Dover Castle.  This site has been home to a fortification since the early Roman conquest of England.  St. Mary’s is a perfect example of this history.  The church was built in the 1000’s by the Saxon invaders.  It stands in the remains of an old Roman fort.  Much of the churches flint and stone was recycled from the remains of the original Roman pharoses. The church has been heavily restored in recent years.  The arched church door is the oldest architectural arch in Britain. The church is still used by the local population.

The church is surrounded by the grounds of Dover Castle.  Dover Castle is the largest castle in England and is known as the “Key to England.”  The castle is positioned to defend the shortest crossing from England to France.  The tunnels below the castle have been used since the Romans.  Most recently it was used during World War II to stage  Operation Dynamo.  The dramatic rescue of British and French soldiers from Dunkirk at the start of the war.

Enjoy this photo of St. Mary in Castro Church in Dover, Kent, England?  Check me out on Instagram @MatDifference for more great photos.

Check out my other photos from Spotlight Thursday.