Mather & Co bring history to life at Dover Castle

For the first time, the story of the siege is brought to life at English Heritage’s Dover Castle, giving visitors greater enjoyment and insight into the castle.

This new experience at Dover Castle brings a unique mix of interpretation and play through immersive interactive displays, re-opened medieval tunnels and an imaginative new play area. A new viewing area offers panoramic views of the castle from the North Spur, and visitors can also discover the stories of the men and women who lived, worked, visited and fought for the castle.

The experience is centred around the siege of 1216 and events in the 18th and 19th centuries when the threat of overseas war led to heavy investment in the castle. The project is a mix of interpretation and play that will increase access and opportunities in underused parts of the site, creating a visitor experience that is engaging, surprising, interactive and complements the interpretation in other parts of the castle.

Visitor experience designers, Mather & Co, are responsible for the interpretive design, play/interpretive approach, content development, graphic design, artwork, technical detailing, site delivery and quality assurance. The project is the culmination of much hard work for Mather & Co, involving a partnership with English Heritage, Studio Hardie, Avanti Architects and the skills of a talented team of contractors and specialists.

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Paul Lee, Design Director at Mather & Co, said: “Mather & Co is proud to be part of this project. We have brought these stories to life in new and collaborative ways, working with English Heritage to develop an interpretive approach that places discovery and play at the heart of the offer.

“The design team at Mather & Co have worked tirelessly, responding to the castle’s unique environments in dynamic and exciting ways. We are immensely proud of our time at Dover Castle. With hard work and dedication, the results are spaces that bring history and storytelling to life in contrasting and challenging settings, and offer new experiences for visitors to this beautiful castle.”

Visitors can choose from a range of offerings and spaces, each offering its own unique experience and level of engagement depending on the physical location.

Railway casemates

Five of the Casemates have been converted into new interpretation areas, telling the story of the siege of 1216 and the Georgian defences. Visitors can explore the Casemates to discover visual displays, cinematic films and imaginative activities that tell the story of the siege. Stories in the Casemates include The First Barons’ War, The Second Siege, Life of the Garrison, Living Conditions and many more. In the Spur Casemates, visitors can aim and shoot at a range of targets with a crossbow, and keep a score. Visitors can also explore the castle’s structural defences as they evolved to respond to the threat of new offensive technologies.

Playing field

The new play area, themed around the Great Siege, provides children with the opportunity to let off steam and learn through play. Mather & Co worked with Studio Hardie in the early evolution of the interpretive strategy for this area, with Studio Hardie fully developing the structures and play.

The Railway Tunnels

These are the original defensive tunnels that run beneath the castle and out onto the Spur. Go underground and explore the labyrinth of tunnels, originally built during medieval sieges and expanded in preparation for a possible invasion during the Napoleonic era. Visitors can explore new audiovisual installations that heighten the dramatic atmosphere. Ambient audio is activated by presence detection, filling the spaces with a soundtrack that creates eerie echoes and a sense of surprise and disorientation.

A new view

Emerge from the Spur Tunnels to enjoy one of the best views of the magnificent castle. Stand where the attackers camped during the siege.

There is something for everyone at Dover Castle with a multi-layered interpretation suite and experience that appeals to a wide audience. The new experience, Dover Castle under siege, opened to the public on July 22, 2024.

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