"King Henrie the eight, have shaken of the intollerable yoke of the Popish tyrannie, and espying that the Emperour was offended, for the divorce of Queen Katherine his wife, and that the Frenche King had coupled the Dolphine his Sonne to the Popes Niece, and married his daughter to the King of Scots, so that he might more justly suspect them all, then safely trust any one: determined by the aide of God to stand upon his owne gardes and defence, and therefore with all speede, and without sparing any cost, he builded Castles, platfourmes, and blocke-houses in all needful places of the Realme: And amongest other, fearing least the ease, and advantage of descending on land at this part, should give occasion and hardinesse to the enemies to invade him, he erected (neare together) three fortifications, which might at all times keepe and beate the landing place, that is to say, Sandowne, Dele, and Wamere." It appears that on Easter-day 1539 three strange ships appeared in the Downs, and as their origin and purpose were alike unknown and suspicious, all the able men of Kent rose, and mustered in armour without delay. Invasion of the kingdom was feared at any moment, and steps were at once taken to put all the havens and possible landing-places in a state of defence. As Lambard mentions, the most prominent of these blockhouses, as being more immediately opposite the enemy's coast, were Sandown (now demolished), Deal, and Walmer. The two latter, whilst retaining many of the original features, have been considerably modified by alterations and modern additions. On a coast such as this, extending from Pegwell Bay to Kingsdown, and directly facing the nearest shores of the Continent, it would be remarkable if no traces were found of defensive works raised to oppose the incursions of the enemy. The need of such defences for the protection of the coast must have been apparent during a considerable part of the Middle Ages, and means were doubtless taken to meet it. Before the building of the three castles in the reign of Henry VIII, which are about to be described, an interesting chain of earthworks of a defensive character was thrown up along the coast. The most important were the Great, or Black Bulwark, and the Little, or White Bulwark, both in the parish of Walmer. There were also two other earthwork forts situated between the castles of Deal and Sandown. In addition to these there was a similar fort on the site of each of the three blockhouses or castles built on this coast.