Bodiam Castle

Bodiam Castle is an important example of late medieval military architecture, built by Sir Edward Dalingridge in the years following 1385 after receiving a licence to crenellate. Constructed from sandstone ashlar quarried at Wadhurst, the castle features a hollow courtyard surrounded by a wide moat. It has two storeys topped with a castellated parapet. At each corner, there are round towers with three storeys, which are also embattled and contain stairways.

The south, east, and west sides each have a central projecting square tower, with the southern tower featuring machicolation below the parapet and housing the postern gate, which had a drawbridge over the moat. The north side has two similar projecting square towers with a recessed section in between, all topped with machicolation. The main entrance is marked by a four-centred archway with a portcullis and a drawbridge across the moat. The castle includes loop windows, some with pointed heads.

Internally, the hall and kitchen are located on the south side of the courtyard, while the living rooms are on the east side; however, many of the buildings behind the outer walls are now in ruins. The castle was inherited by the Lewknor family through marriage in 1470 and was partly dismantled during the Civil War. In 1917, it was purchased by Lord Curzon, restored in 1919, and bequeathed to the National Trust in 1925. It is designated as an Ancient Monument.