Printed and Published at the Dover Express Works. 1916.

ANNALS OF DOVER.

SECTION ONE. DOVER CASTLE.

IX. OFFICERS OF THE CASTLE.

The great officers whose names are inscribed on the roll of Constables and Wardens already given, had under them other officials on whom the control of the everyday affairs of the Castle devolved.

The Lieutenant of the Castle was the chief administrative officer, who assisted the Constable when present and in his absence was in supreme command. Very few of the Constables took up their permanent residence in the Con- stable's Tower, the Lieutenant being the regular occupant of that part of the Castle. From him the Castle Guard received their orders, and to him the keys of the Castle were brought after the night guards had been mounted. After the Cinque Ports were in regular working order, and the Constable became the Judge of Appeal from all the Cinque Ports Courts, on the Lieutenant fell the duty of hearing at the Castle or in St. James' Church cases that were referred to him from the inferior Courts of the several ports and ancient towns. The Lieutenant's military control of the Castle ceased in the seventeenth century when the garrison was composed of regular troops under their own officers.

The Marshall was another great officer of the Castle having his residence in Peverill's Tower. He had charge of prisoners, and acted under the Lieutenant in mounting the night watches. He received a fixed stipend as well as fees from each prisoner. In the fifteenth century he was described as "The Marshall of Dover Castle and Keeper of the Artillery, with the ancient and usual wage and fees from the issues of the Castle."

The Boder, though an ancient officer, does not appear to have existed until the Constable as Lord Warden became the great appellate authority for the Cinque Ports in the reign of Henry HI. He was charged with the duty of issuing warrants and summonses for the Cinque Ports Courts, and he had charge of the Cinque Ports Prison. The title "Boder" is supposed to have been derived from "Bidder," the issuer of summonses. He was also the Sergeant-at-Arms.

The Gentleman Porter was another official who was the Gatekeeper in charge of the King's Gate, leading into the Keep. It was a position of honour with considerable emoluments attached, and four Under Gate Keepers per- formed the actual service.

The Gunner was an official who came into existence when Artillery was introduced as a means of defence. He had charge of the Artillery, and was responsible for its being kept in proper condition. W. Elderd, Master Gunner of Dover Castle in the time of Charles I., wrote a pamphlet called "The Gunner's Glass," in which he remarked: — "Touching the quality and condition of a man that will be a gunner, in my judgment he ought to be first and principally a man fearing God, with upright heart, not given to much talking or many words, no quarreller, or drunkard, or idle gamester; but sober, honest, and of good conversation." He further says: "I do verily think that a fort that is pestered and cloyed with unskilful and obstinate gunners were as good be furnished with so many traitors, for there is no good to be expected from them in time of need."

The Chaplain is an official that has existed in Dover Castle from Saxon days. At times there were more than one, but there always appears to have been one even when the old Church in the Castle was in ruins during the Eighteenth Century. According to the statutes of the Castle put in force during Sir Stephen Pencester's Constableship, the Chaplain had to assist the Constable in the administration of justice in regard to offences of which the Church took special cognizance.

The Coroner of the Castle was in ancient times the Constable so that outside jurisdiction was entirely excluded, but for more than a century the Borough Coroner has held the necessary inquests at the Castle.

The Seneschal was an officer of importance in the Middle Ages, when the King frequently came to the Castle, as it was the Seneschal's duty to make the arrangements for feasts and superintend ceremonies. He was also the Constable's Clerk. In the Fifteenth Century this office was frequently held by a Mayor or Jurat of Dover. In modern times the office became a sinecure. It was fille during the Nineteenth Century by the late Mr. Edward Knocker.