Lewes Castle

Lewes Castle is a Norman castle on two man-made hills overlooking the English town of Lewes in East Sussex.

William de Warenne, 1st Earl of Surrey received after the invasion of the Normans in 1066 by William the Conqueror large estates in Sussex and began a short time later at the direction of the construction of the moth. These two artificial mounds were built, which were connected by an oval courtyard. The actual fortress on the hills and palisades around the courtyard around were initially made ​​of wood. In this form, Lewes Castle served as the residence of William de Warenne.

Probably in the early 12th century, the wooden structure was replaced by a circular wall of rubble. This wall was about 150 years later added two semi - octagonal towers. In the 14th century John de Warenne, 8th Earl of Surrey had built a castle gate. After John died in 1347 without legitimate heirs, title and castle went to Richard Fitzalan, 10th Earl of Arundel on. She was no longer inhabited and fell into disrepair. Through a local uprising in 1382 Lewes Castle was further devastated; the stones were used as building material. 1620 were also those service buildings that were still standing, demolished. The remains of the plant were in 1774 converted into a summer house.

The Lewes Castle now belongs to the Sussex Archeological Society. The preserved fortifications on the higher of the two hills with the towers and the castle gate can be seen. The attached Barbican House Museum houses the archeological collection of the Society and presents changing exhibitions.