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Dover Castle

Dover Castle is one of English Heritage’s flagship sites attracting in excess of 300,000 visitors per annum. It is believed that Henry II built the Great Tower at Dover, not for defence, but to impress foreign dignitaries and pilgrims arriving in England with his wealth and power. It was a magnificent statement and symbol of royal omnipotence, visible from afar, used to offset the growing popularity of the shrine of Thomas Becket at Canterbury Cathedral.

In 2009, the Great Tower at Dover Castle was re-opened to the public having undergone a major transformation to recreate the splendour of the court of Henry II. Working alongside many other artists and craftsmen, Zardi & Zardi produced hundreds of metres of borders and fourteen wall-hangings from a series of hand-painted original cartoons designed and executed by artists Kit and Meg Surrey.