Soldiers drew Napoleon’s possible hanging on an 18th-century castle door

According to experts, a wooden door discovered on the upper level of a French Revolution-era watchtower offers a glimpse into the lives of British soldiers who were stationed there for hours during the conflict. The soldiers’ daily lives are depicted in the carved inscriptions and images on the door, which are predominantly bleak.

A few disquieting designs of stick figure-like individuals being hung are interspersed among the dates and surnames etched into the wood. One of these drawings may depict Napoleon Bonaparte’s execution, who threatened to attack the United Kingdom at the conclusion of the 18th century, resulting in a significant British military mobilization.

The defensive measures that England implemented were unnecessary due to the fact that the French invasion never transpired and Napoleon passed away in poor health while exiled on St. Helena in 1821. The cause of his mortality and decline remains a topic of debate.

However, before Napoleon’s exile and in the midst of successful military campaigns during the French Revolution, England in the 1790s began to fortify its own resources in anticipation of a potential attack. As a result, Dover Castle, a medieval fortress in Kent along the English Channel, was repurposed as a military garrison that housed thousands of soldiers, according to English Heritage, a British charity that assists in the management of historic sites and monuments in the country. Paul Pattison, the charity’s senior properties historian, is the individual who discovered the wooden door at the top of St. John’s Tower on the Dover Castle grounds.

Pattison stated that these remarkable engravings on the door of St. John’s Tower were discovered after ascending a ladder to the top floor. This graffiti offers a distinctive perspective on the thoughts of these soldiers, particularly during a period of great sensitivity.

The door was described by Pattison as “an exceptional object,” and he further stated that it is a rare and valuable example of the common individual leaving their mark, whether it be for the purpose of passing the time or wishing to be remembered.

According to English Heritage, six to 12 soldiers were responsible for securing St. John’s Tower in the castle’s outer ditch around the clock, with one or two at the summit. It is possible that they employed knives or bayonets to pass the time during their shifts.

According to English Heritage, the door features a wine glass or chalice with a “elaborate cross,” “at least nine gruesome illustrations of hangings,” a detailed carving of a British Royal Navy single-masted sailing ship, and numerous initials and surnames. In Dover, real hangings were a source of public entertainment. However, experts have suggested that one of the illustrations, which depicts a man in a military uniform and bicorne hat, may have been designed to represent the French military leader whose wartime plans had caused such upheaval for the soldiers at Dover Castle.

The door from St. John’s Tower was removed and conserved prior to its July display at Dover Castle, which is currently a museum. English Heritage has announced that it will be featured in the “Dover Castle Under Siege” exhibition.