A castle was built in Tonbridge in Kent not long after the Norman Conquest, a motte and bailey castle was built by Richard Fitz Gilbert, the wooden keep later being replaced by a stone one. Fitz Gilbert's descendants rebelled against King William II who besiged the castle and eventually had both the castle and town burnt down!
The castle was rebuilt and expanded in the 13th century including a stone wall around the town. The castle has a large two towered gatehouse which took thirty years to construct and is one of the major remaining parts of the castle, which fell out of use in the 16th century. A mansion was built next to the gatehouse in 1793.
