Bodiam castle, East Sussex, England

Bodiam   Castle   is   a   14^th century moated castle near Roberts   Bridge in East   Sussex, England. It was built in 1385 by Sir Edward Dalyngrigge   a former knight of Edward III, with the permission of Richard II, ostensibly to defend the area against French invasion during the Hundred Year’s War. Its structure, details and situation in an artificial watery landscape indicate that display was important aspect of the castle’s design as well as defense. It was the home of the Dalyngrigge family and the center   of the manor of Bodiam. Possession of Bodiam Castle passed through several generations of Dalyngrigges, until their line became   extinct, when the castle passed by marriage to the Lewknor family. During the Wars of Roses      Sir    Thomas Lewknor   supported the House of Lancaster, and when Richard III of the House of York became king in 1483. A force was dispatched to be siege. It is unrecorded whether the siege went ahead,   but it is thought that Bodiam was surrendered without much resistance. The castle was confiscated, but returned to the Lewknors when Henry VII of the House of Lancaster became king 1485. Descendants of the Lewknors owned the castle until at least the 16^th century.

By the start of the English Civil War in 1641 went ahead, but is thought Bodiam Castle was in possession of John Tufton. He supported the Royalist cause and sold the castle to help pay fines levied against him by Parliament. The castle was subsequently dismantled and was   left as picturesque ruin until its purchase by John Fuller in 1829. Under his auspices, the castle was partially restored before being sold to George Cubitt 1^st Baron Ashcombe and later to Lord Curzon both   whom undertook further restoration work. The castle is protected as grade I listed building and Scheduled Monument. It has been owned by the National Trust since 1925, donated by Lord Curzon on his death, and is open to the public.

Bodiam Castle was built on a fresh site near the sea in the County of Sussex, for the defense of the adjacent country and the resistance to enemies. Dalyngrigge’s license from Richard II permitted him to refortify his existing manor house, but instead he chose a fresh site to build a castle on. Construction was completed in one phase, and most of the castle is in the same architectural style. Archaelogist David Thackray has deduced from this that Bodiam castle was built quickly, probably because of the threat from the French. Stone castles were usually time – consuming and expensive to build, often costing thousands of pounds. Dalyngrigge was Captain of the port of Brest in France from 1386 to 1387, and as a result was probably absent for the first years of the castle’s construction. It replaced the old manor house as Dalyngrigge’s main residence and the administrative center of the manor. It is not recorded when Bodiam Castle was completed, but Thackray suggests that it was before 1392. Dalyngrigge did not have not long time to complete castle, as he was dead by 1395.

Eduard’s estates, including the castle, were inherited by his son John Dalyngrigge. He died on September 1408. His will ensured that his property belonged to his widow Alice. John and Alice had no children, so on her death in 1443 the estates and castle were passed on to   Richard Dalyngrigge, John’s cousin. Richard died without issue, so in accordance with John,s will estates passed on to Richard’s sister Philippa in 1470. She was married to Sir Thomas Lewknor from a prominent Sussex family who owned land all over the country.

Sir Thomas Lewknor was  a supporter of the House of Lancaster during the Wars of the Roses, which began in 1455. When Richard of the House of York ascended to the throne as Richard III in 1483, Lewknor was accused of treason and of  raising men at arms in southeast England. In November 1483, Lewknor’s uncle and Thomas Howard, the Earl of Surrey were given permission to levy men and besiege Bodiam castle, where Lewknor was based. It is not recorded whether the siege went ahead and thackray suggests that Lewknor surrendered without much resistance. His property was confiscated, and Nicholas Rigby was made constable of the castle. Possession of Bodiam Castle passed through several generations of the Lewknor family. Although   the   inheritance of the castle can be traced through 16^th and 17^th centuries.

After   the Civil War Powell   was made   a baronet by Charles II. Although it   is   unrecorded   when   Bodiam   Castle   was dismantled. It was probably after it was bought by Powell. During and after the Civil War, many castles were slighted to prevent them from being refused. Not all were destroyed completely and in some cases care was taken not to unnecessarily deface the structure.

Lord Curzon decided that so rare a treasure should neither be lost to our country nor desecrated by irreverent hands. Curzon made enquiries about buying the castle, but Cubitt did not wish to sell. However after Cubitt’s death, Curzon was able to make a deal with Cubitt’s son and he bought a Bodiam Castle and its lands in 1916. Curzon began a program of investigation at Bodiam in 1919 and with architect William Weir restored parts of the castle.

The National Trust continued the restoration work, and added new roofs to the towers and gatehouse. Excavations were resumed in 1970, and the moat was once again drained. In the 1990s Bodiam Castle was at the center of a debate in castle studies over the balance between militaristic and social interpretations of such sites. The arguments focused on elements such as the apparent strength of the defenses such as the imposing moat and elements of display. IT has been suggested  that the moat could have been drained in a day because the embankment surrounding it was not substantial, and that as such it did not pose a serious obstacle to an attacker. The castle today is a “nationality important” historic building and archaeological site which has been given protection against unauthorized   change. It is also a Grade I listed building and recognized as an internationally important structure. Today castle is open to the public and according to figures released by the Association of Leading Visitor Attractions. In the opinion of historian Charles Coulson Bodiam represents   the popular ideal of a medieval castle.