This is one of the countries great medieval fortresses and was created by King Henry II and his Plantagenet successors. At its heart stands the mighty keep or Great Tower which is 25.3m high about 30m square with walls up to 6.5m thick.
The grandest and among the last of the keeps raised by the kings of England during the 11th and 12th centuries, it was designed by Henry II’s architect ‘Maurice the Engineer’ and built between 1180 and 1185.
Just visible to the right in front of the church is the 24m high Roman lighthouse overlooking the port.