Richborough Castle Archaeological Site

Address: Richborough (near Sandwich), Kent, England

Website: https://www.english-heritage.org.uk/visit/places/richborough-roman-fort-and-amphitheatre/

Richborough Castle is the site of a Roman fort and later defensive works on the Kent coast of England, notable as a major Roman landing and port location during the Roman period in Britain.

The site is dominated by earthworks and exposed masonry remains that illustrate successive Roman and later fortifications, with visible ditches, ramparts and foundations set across open coastal ground. Information panels and paths allow visitors to walk the visible layout and understand its role as a Roman military and port complex.

Originally established and used in the Roman period as a fortified port and military base, the site was reused and remodelled in later Roman times as part of the Saxon Shore defenses and saw further medieval occupation and alteration. Archaeological work across the 19th and 20th centuries uncovered structural remains that reveal the sequence of Roman and post-Roman use.

Sited on the estuary of the River Stour near the town of Sandwich in Kent, southeast England, the site occupies a coastal promontory with views across the estuary toward the North Sea.

• Remains: Site preserves large Roman earthworks and visible masonry remains from Roman and later medieval phases, exposed across open grassland and cliffs above an estuary.
• Setting: Located on the Kent coast near the town of Sandwich, the site interprets Roman military and port activity in Britain.

• Richborough Castle is a compact English Heritage site on the Kent coast - check English Heritage opening times and use the site car park/entrance so you don't waste time searching for access points.
• Visit outside school holidays and on weekday mornings to avoid school groups; the site rewards a relaxed visit with good views across the estuary and readable earthworks that are best appreciated with the on‑site interpretation panels.