The Tudor Kitchen at Portland Castle, Dorset

Portland Castle is one of King Henry VIII's chain of coastal artillery forts positioned along the south coast of England. It was built to a unique fan design between 1539-41, using local Portland stone. Together with Sandsfoot Castle, it defended the natural anchorage known as Portland Roads.  A renewed threat of Spanish invasion lead to the neglected castle being repaired and upgraded with two new gun platforms for the lower and upper keeps between 1584-86. The castle finally saw military action during the mid-1600s, playing a part in the English Civil War and Anglo Dutch War. Over subsequent centuries, it served as either a residence or reverted to military purposes depending on whether the country was at war. Today, it is open to the public and managed by English Heritage.