- Type
- Ruin
- Origins
- 1066 · 11th century per Wikidata: founding, first mention or construction
- Location
- England, United Kingdom
- Commissioned by
- William the Conqueror, Richard I of England
- Coordinates
- 50.8192°, 0.3331°
History
In the late 3rd century the Romans built the fort of Anderitum here, one of the defences of the so-called Saxon Shore. On 28 September 1066 the army of William, Duke of Normandy, landed nearby, and he had makeshift defences thrown up within the old walls. After his victory at Hastings he gave Pevensey to his half-brother Robert of Mortain, and over the following centuries the castle withstood several sieges, including those of 1088 and 1264. In the 13th century a stone inner castle with D-shaped towers was built. In 1399 the fortress was defended by Joan Pelham, a loyal supporter of Henry Bolingbroke. From the 16th century the castle fell into ruin, and in 1940 machine-gun posts were built into its walls.
What to see
The great oval of Roman walls with massive bastions still outlines the fort, one of the best preserved in Britain. Inside stand the ruins of the medieval castle with its moat, gatehouse and towers, one of which keeps its dungeons. Camouflaged Second World War pillboxes can be spotted in the walls, and an old cast-iron cannon, traditionally dated to the time of the Spanish Armada threat, stands in the inner bailey.
Wikipedia article Official website Wikidata Q2970215
Popularity: articles about this site in 17 Wikimedia projects (Wikipedia language editions and others).