First ever graffiti discovered on soldiers’ gallows at English castle

Macabre images of tapestries cut by soldiers guarding England’s largest medieval castle as war loomed with France were put on display on Monday.

The graffiti-covered door, part of a new exhibition at Dover Castle on the country’s south coast, dates from the late 18th century, when soldiers stationed there faced the threat of invasion by Napoleon BonaparteFrench troops.

Historian Paul Pattison said climbing a ladder to the top floor of the castle’s St John’s Tower and seeing the carvings on the long-forgotten door was an “astonishing discovery”.

He said the soldiers’ fascination with public executions “provided a unique insight into the minds of these soldiers, especially at such a charged time”.

About 50 pieces of graffiti can be seen on the door, including nine tapestries, many initials and two surnames.

There are also a number of dates, including 1789, the year of the French Revolution, and 1798.

Pattison, a historian at English Heritage, which manages Dover Castle, said the threat of imminent invasion would make strategically important Dover a hive of activity, with ships filling the harbour and soldiers in constant attendance.

Dover is the closest port to continental Europe and has been a favourite target for invaders throughout the centuries.

– ‘Strange and macabre’ –

Researchers believe the “strange and macabre repetition” of hangings carved into the door may depict an actual execution at Dover, where hangings were a form of public entertainment in the late 18th century, attended by thousands of people.

However, in one of the carvings the figure is dressed in a military uniform and one of Napoleon’s characteristic two-sided cocked hats, suggesting that this is the French military and political leader himself.

Also engraved on the door is a detailed and accurate depiction of a single masted sailing ship, probably an 8 gun cutter used by the British Royal Navy at the time.

“What makes this door so special is that it is a rare and precious example of an ordinary person making their mark, whether to pass the time or to be remembered,” Pattison added.

Dover Castle, now visited by over 350,000 people a year, underwent a major modernisation in the 1790s, transforming it from an ancient medieval castle into a modern military garrison.

As the threat of invasion from across the Channel grew, thousands of soldiers settled here.

According to English Heritage, St John’s Tower, with its commanding views over the castle’s vulnerable north face, was guarded at any given time by between six and twelve men, who could while away the hours carving graffiti with knives or possibly bayonets.

The door has been carefully preserved and forms part of the new exhibition “Dover Castle Under Siege” at the castle.

The exhibition looks back at the bloody and dramatic siege of the castle in 1216-1217, when it had to repel an attack by French and rebellious English troops.

Digital reconstruction also reveals the fort’s original entrance from that time, several vanished towers and long-gone defensive walls.

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