Bodiam Castle is an ancient 14th century castle located near Robertsbridge, a small village in East Sussex (England).
It is known above all for its characteristic position, in the center of a moat completely filled with water.
It was built in 1385 by Sir Edward Dalyngrigge, a former knight of Edward III, with the permission of Richard II, probably to defend the area from possible French invasions during the Hundred Years War.
Of quadrangular plan, the castle is devoid of dungeon and its various rooms are built along the external defensive walls and internal courtyards.
Its corners and entrance are marked by towers and topped with battlements.
Its structure, details and position in an artificial aquatic landscape indicate a particular attention to the aesthetic aspect during the design, equal to that dedicated to the defensive purpose.
It was the home of the Dalyngrigge family and the center of Bodiam fiefdom.
Ownership of Bodiam Castle passed through several generations of Dalyngrigge, until their lineage died out and the castle was acquired by marriage from the Lewknor family.
During the war of the two roses Thomas Lewknor supported the house of Lancaster, therefore, when Richard III of the house of York became king in 1483, an army was sent to besiege Bodiam castle.
There is no information on the duration of the siege, however Bodiam is believed to have been delivered without much resistance.
The castle was confiscated, but returned to the Lewknors when Henry VII Tudor became king in 1485. The descendants of the Lewknors retained possession of the castle at least until the 16th century.
At the beginning of the English civil war, in 1641, Bodiam Castle was owned by Lord Thanet: he supported the realist cause and sold the castle to be able to pay the fines imposed on him by the parliament.
The castle was later dismantled and was left as a picturesque ruin, until its purchase by John Fuller in 1829.
Below him the castle was partially restored, before being sold to George Cubitt, Barons Ashcombe, and later to Lord Curzon, both of whom undertook further restoration work. The castle is protected as a Grade I listed monument and as a Scheduled Monument.
In 1925, Lord Curzon bequeathed the castle to the National Trust, which opened it to public visits.
Bodiam Castle
Address: Robertsbridge TN32 5UA, Regno Unito
Phone: +44 1580 830196
Site:
https://www.nationaltrust.org.uk/bodiam-castleLocation inserted by
CHO.earth