DOVER CASTLE:
DOVER Castle, located in the southern county of Kent, is one of the largest castles in England and one of the first to have concentric defensive walls. First built in 1066 CE by William the Conqueror to help prevent anyone repeating his own invasion, the castle was largely rebuilt in stone and a massive keep added by Henry II in the latter half of the 12th century CE. Despite its fine defences, the castle did not put off attackers and was famously, if ultimately unsuccessfully, besieged in 1216 CE by Prince Louis of France.
Dover Castle was first constructed by William I (aka William the Conqueror, r. 1066-1087 CE). The Norman king built many other castles such as at Windsor and the Tower of London because he needed both to cement his new regime and provide a network of secure abodes as he toured his realm. Understanding that an awe-inspiring castle was as good a way as any to impress upon the locals and foreigners alike of his intentions, William spared no expense in his building projects. Dover was a prime example of the Norman king’s strategy, set in a strategically important position on a rise overlooking the straits of Dover and near the vital ancient road to Canterbury. The site of Dover castle had already caught the eye of previous builders and had been used from the Iron Age as a fort, by the Romans in the 1st century CE as the location of a lighthouse, and there was a Saxon church of Saint Mary there, built c. 1000 CE. The castle was built quickly and probably consisted of a wall enclosed tower made from wood with earthworks, but it was needed almost immediately when William’s former ally, Eustace of Boulogne, attacked it in 1067 CE. The castle withstood its first test admirably and Eustace fled the country.
npr:
With the partial government shutdown in its third week, White House officials and congressional leaders again failed to make progress toward a resolution during talks on Sunday.
In the latest proposal put before the House Appropriations Committee, President Trump remains steadfast in his request for $5.7 billion in funding for a border wall with Mexico. NPR’s John Burnett reports, “The White House is asking for 234 miles of steel barrier — which works out to about $24 million a mile.”
However, in what could be read as a gesture to appease Democrats, the Trump administration is now offering $800 million in aid to address humanitarian needs at the border, including better medical care and additional facilities for processing and holding those in temporary custody considered to be the most “vulnerable population.” In a Power Point presentation, the White House states that 50 migrants per day are referred to medical providers.
Other items on the White House list include:
- $563 million for 75 additional immigration judges and support staff to “reduce the backlog of pending immigration cases.”
- $211 million to hire an additional 750 Border Patrol Agents
- $4.2 billion to support 52,000 detention beds
White House Adds To List Of Border Demands As Shutdown Continues
Photo: Jim Watson/AFP/Getty Images
