Upnor Castle

Upnor Castle is a fascinating Elizabethan artillery fortress dating back to 1559, built on the orders of Queen Elizabeth I to defend royal ships on the River Medway.

The castle impresses with its unique architecture with a stone donjon and a distinctive bastion jutting out into the river. A unique feature is the spiral staircase without supports - one of the earliest examples of such a solution in England.

Learn the dramatic story of the 1667 Dutch raid that exposed the weakness of the fortifications. Discover mysterious graffiti from around 1700, hidden in the upper chamber of the gate.