Deal Castle

Henry VIII's squat artillery fortress sits right on Deal's shingle beach, and it's absolutely the real deal. Built in 1540 to ward off French invasion, this Tudor gun battery is shaped like a giant flower - six rounded bastions radiating from a central tower. Walk around the outside first to get the geometry of it, then pay your entry fee and head in.

Inside, you're climbing stone staircases and poking around gun emplacements where cannons once sat pointing seaward. The views from the upper levels sweep across the Channel - on a clear day you can see France. It's properly atmospheric, especially if you time it for late afternoon when the light hits the brick right.

Allow a solid hour, maybe ninety minutes if you're reading everything. Kids under ten might lose interest in the middle section - it's cramped stairs and period detail rather than interactive stuff. Older visitors and military history types will find it fascinating; the fortification design is genuinely clever once you understand what you're looking at.

Deal itself is a pleasant working coastal town rather than a tourist trap. The castle sits at the edge of the seafront promenade, so you can grab chips after and actually walk somewhere. Several holiday parks sit within a few miles - Kingsdown Camping is just 2.6 miles away if you're basing yourself for a Kent coast break. Entry costs a few quid; check English Heritage opening hours before you visit as it does close midweek in winter months.