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| Pevensey Castle |
Pevensey Castle is a ruined castle in the village of Pevensey, not far from the seaside town of Eastbourne in East Sussex. The castle is next to the village of Westham, which lies on the train line from Brighton to Hastings and Ashford and is not far from from the beach at Pevensey Bay.
This medieval castle, a Roman Saxon Shore Fort, known as Anderitum was built about 290 AD by the Romans on an area of sand and clay sitting about 10 meters above sea level. At the time the spur of land was a peninsular projecting into a tidal lagoon and marshes. It is thought that a harbour was situated near the south wall of the castle which was sheltered by a split of shingle, where the the village of Pevensey Bay stands today. Over time land reclamation and silting in the Pevensey levels have pushed the coastline out over a mile leaving the castle landlocked with an area of flat marshland stretching to the sea.
After the collapse of the Roman Empire the castle fell until ruin and was not occupied again until the Norman Conquest 1066 when the Normans built a stone keep and fortification within the Roman walls. the castle faced several sieges but was never successfully stormed.
By the late 16th century the castle had been abandoned and remained ruinous until 1925 when it was acquired by the state. During the Second World War the castle was used by the Home Guard, British and Canadian Armies and the United States Army Air Corps. The machine gun posts can still be seen today.
Pevensey Castle is a fantastic place to visit for all the family. The Norman Keep and Bailey surrounded by the old Roman Walls is a fascinating place, steeped in history snd past adventures.
This medieval castle, a Roman Saxon Shore Fort, known as Anderitum was built about 290 AD by the Romans on an area of sand and clay sitting about 10 meters above sea level. At the time the spur of land was a peninsular projecting into a tidal lagoon and marshes. It is thought that a harbour was situated near the south wall of the castle which was sheltered by a split of shingle, where the the village of Pevensey Bay stands today. Over time land reclamation and silting in the Pevensey levels have pushed the coastline out over a mile leaving the castle landlocked with an area of flat marshland stretching to the sea.
After the collapse of the Roman Empire the castle fell until ruin and was not occupied again until the Norman Conquest 1066 when the Normans built a stone keep and fortification within the Roman walls. the castle faced several sieges but was never successfully stormed.
By the late 16th century the castle had been abandoned and remained ruinous until 1925 when it was acquired by the state. During the Second World War the castle was used by the Home Guard, British and Canadian Armies and the United States Army Air Corps. The machine gun posts can still be seen today.
Pevensey Castle is a fantastic place to visit for all the family. The Norman Keep and Bailey surrounded by the old Roman Walls is a fascinating place, steeped in history snd past adventures.
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