The Home of Earl Gilbert

Seeing blue sky I rushed out from my post on the phones at the CAB to snap Tonbridge Castle and provide a sequel to yesterday's Blip.

The motte dates back to just after 1066 when William the Conqueror's kinsman Richard Fitzgilbert used local labour to shift 50,000 tonnes of earth to build the motte and a moat to defend the Medway crossing at "Tonebridge". The gatehouse dates from the 13C, when Earl Gilbert of the perambulating knights fame, was residing in a much larger stone fortification.