There was another earlier Norman castle on the coast at Folkestone, close to
a landing place. This became a casualty of coastal recession and no longer
exists.
General Pitt-Rivers archaeologically excavated
the castle in 1878. In addition to medieval deposits he found a Roman ridge tile, considered a
stray find.
Others have excavated the site since and in 1988-9 pottery dating from
2500-1800 BC was found. It has been suggested that the Norman castle adapted a pre-Roman
occupation site, possibly with defensive characteristics.
Defensive trenches were cut into the castle during the Second World
War.
