Bodiam Castle

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Bodiam Castle from the northeast

Bodiam Castle is a well preserved ruin in East Sussex, England.

History

Originally from an old family Sussexer Sir Edward Dalyngrigge that. Eduard III had fought in France, was by his marriage with Elizabeth, the heiress of Wardedieu ( Wardeux ), whose family had been around since the 1330s in the possession of the property of Bodiam, came into possession of the estate in 1378. It basically consisted of a farmhouse in the valley north of the church of Bodiam, the foundations of which were discovered during archaeological excavations in the 1960s and 1970s and a second building, which was located north above the present castle. As a knight in the County of Sussex ( Knight in the Shire of Sussex ) had been Dalyngrigge Member of ten parliaments from 1379 to 1388 and undoubtedly one of the more influential figures in the environment at that time. In 1380 he became a member of the Commission for the Investigation of the state of the kingdom and possessions, income and expenditure of the royal house budget (Commission Considering the state of the realm and the possesions, expenses and Revenues of the royal household ). In the same year he was appointed for review of Winchelsea and to investigate how the city could better be secured against France. In addition to the threat of an invasion but were also dangers in the interior of the country. 1381 farmers had risen from Kent, Essex, Sussex and Bedfordshire in revolt, destroyed numerous manor houses on their march to London, overrun the Tower of London and beheaded the Archbishop Sudbury. Although the rebellion was quickly put down by the followers Richard II, there was also in the following years, always a flicker of resistance. In 1383, Sir Edward Dalyngrigge received royal approval for holding a weekly market on his property in Bodiam. 1385 was the royal license for fixing his country estate by Richard II:

"Know did of our special grace we have granted and givenName license on behalf of ourselves and our heirs, as far as in us lies, to our beloved and faithful Edward Dalyngrigge Knight, he did june Strengthen with a wall of stone and lime, and crenellate and, construct and make into a Castle his manor house Bodyham, near the sea, in the county of Sussex, for defense of the Adjacent country, and, resistance to our enemies. "

But he did a completely new Wasserburg near its made ​​of wood mansion not far from the River Rother build. Added to this was the same time another license, a watercourse of Dalyngreggesbay north to direct sales in Hurst after Bodiam, there to operate a water mill. Dalyngrigge has the first construction work probably can not supervise itself, as it was 1386-1387 Hafenkaptain the French city of Brest. Around 1392 the work on the castle was finished, Sir Edward Dalyngrigge but died a few years later in 1395.

In 1473 the property fell after extinction of Dalyngriggelinie by marriage to the Lewknor family Philippa Dalyngrigges. During the Wars of the Roses, Sir Thomas Lewknor supported the House of Lancaster. Richard III. ( House of York ) ordered in 1483 the siege of the castle by Thomas Howard, 2nd Duke of Norfolk, because of lack of records assumes the archaeologist David Thackray, the castle was handed over without resistance and confiscated by the king. A royal constable managed the castle. 1485 King Henry VII gave the castle back to the Lewknor family, which she held until the 16th century. The remaining lands were followed until 1542 in the family property. 1588 acquired John Levett of Salehurst Bodiam Castle, in 1623 she bought Nicolas Tufton, 1st Earl of Thanet. His son John Tufton, 2nd Earl of Thanet, inherited the estate in 1631, was able to reunite 1639 Castle and other property, but had in 1644 because of a high penalty to the Parliament of 9000 pounds ( today's value: £ 1.3 million ), the castle of the MPs Nathaniel Powell, who was raised in 1661 by Charles II a baronet, sell. 1675 inherited Elizabeth Clitherow, daughter of Nathaniel Powell, the 2nd Baronet, the castle, which remained in the family until 1722.

Recent research, however, assume that the castle more for demonstration than for actual fighting was built. This is suggested that the battlements too low to protect underlying men against projectiles, and that the moat can be drained from a few besiegers within a few hours probably because it is separated at one point only by a thin strip of ground from a larger gradient.

Owner

Plant

Bodiam castle is completely surrounded by a wide moat. The rectangular gate tower is located on the north side of the main entrance, bridge and double-sided wax accommodations. Four powerful round towers of 9.4 meters in diameter, mark the corners of the almost square castle of 50 meters by 60 meters ( north-south). In the mid- west and east wing each is a rectangular tower. In the northern part of the east wing is the castle chapel. On the south side is a central tower ( postern tower ) to a second output, the right of the large hall. There, in the south wing and outbuildings such as kitchen, food and beverage chambers are housed. The castle was not only for that time, established on request of the client very comfortable for all residents, there were 33 hearths and fireplaces, spiral staircases 10 and 28 abortion bay. The west wing was for their own household of the permanent representative of the lord of the castle ( castle guard, English: retainer ) is provided. In the southwest tower, a fountain is recessed, the northwest tower housed the castle prison. The castle interior was largely destroyed during the English Civil War.

The castle was built by George Curzon, 1st Marquess Curzon of Kedleston of, restored and came in 1926 to the National Trust.

Others

Bodiam Castle can be seen in the film and the Holy Grail by Monty Python. In the TV miniseries " Northanger Abbey " (BBC, 1986) by Jane Austen, the building serves as the backdrop of the eponymous family dwelling of the Tilney family and leaves the main character Katherine Morland true horror stories à la Ann Radcliffe imagine (eg, " The Mysteries of Udolpho " ).