Explore Bodiam Castle
odiam Castle's construction
was begun in 1386 by Sir Edward Dalyngrigge who was granted a licence to
crenellate his mansion at Bodiam. Instead of just improving the current
building, Dalyngrigge took the opportunity to build a completely new castle from
scratch on a new site near by. Dalyngrigge won his spurs fighting in
France with Sir Robert Knowles and amassed a large amount of wealth along the
way. Bodiam was built in the valley of the Rother, a river which at the time
could have been used by large ships to travel inland. The shape of
the castle was probably based on designs Dalyngrigge saw in France and could be
based on the castle of Villandraut in Aquitaine. The castle is surrounded by a
wide moat and is rectangular in shape.
At each of the four corners are tall drum towers and half way along the east and
west sides are high rectangular towers.
Desktop/Laptop version
Images from this reconstruction
Images from this reconstruction
Video of Reconstruction
The castle is surrounded by a wide moat and is rectangular in shape. At each of the four corners are tall drum towers and half way along the east and west sides are high rectangular towers. On the north side is the main gatehouse and access to the castle across the moat is via two small islands, one octagonal and one square. Originally access to the castle across the moat was via a right-angle shaped wooden bridge that would have left attackers exposed to arrow-fire as they crossed, but this has been removed and access today is provided by a bridge directly infront of the gatehouse. On the southern side of the castle is a smaller gatehouse with a postern gate. This smaller entrance would have been protected by a drawbridge.
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