Bodiam Castle
Bodiam Castle History
Bodiam Castle is in East Sussex, England. The castle was completed in 1388 and was one of the last medieval castles to be built. Bodiam was built for war, though it was lived in for 250 years without attack, It was however captured twice without resistance. Bodiam was originally the fortress and residence of Sir Edward Dalyngrigge who was a Sussex Knight.
Bodium is a true fairy tale castle and although still looking formidable from the outside, the inside is another story. Somewhere between 1640-48 during the Civil War, the inside of the castle was demolished. In a weird way this makes the castle more beautiful, on the outside still a tough shell of defense, and yet inside, an empty ruin whose inner walls have crumbled. It's an amazing contrast to see.
Facts About Bodiam Castle
In the late 14th century Bodiam Castle would have been one of the largest buildings in Sussex, and one of the largest building sites in England during its construction. As many as 1000 men are believed to have worked on the building, the craftsmen were recruited from all over England.
Inside The Walls
The outer walls are still standing strong, however, the domestic buildings surrounding the courtyard are now ruins, and it's really hard when you're standing in this empty space, to imagine how this castle used to be.
Murder Holes
Murder Holes (that's actually what they are called!) are situated in the ceilings of the vaulted passageway in Great Gatehouse, which is the entrance. These allowed missiles and boiling water to be dropped onto people without detection.
The Great Gatehouse Entrance
A Production of Shakespeare's The Tempest
Special Events At Bodiam
Like many National Trust properties, Bodiam often has special events held there, from battle re-enactments to theatre productions.
There is also a new museum located beside the mote which is dedicated to the history of Bodium Castle.