Hi, and welcome to our latest video from Bodiam Castle in East Sussex
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Bodiam Castle can be found in East Sussex
in the south-east of England
just under 12 miles from the coastal town of Hastings
and just over five miles from Robertsbridge with its mainline railway station
but if you want to arrive in real style then why not take a steam train from Tenterden
along the Kent & East Sussex railway line. I'll pop up a link to Tenterden and that railway at the end of this video
but for now, let's take a look at Bodiam Castle
and as the sign says it's operated by National Trust
here you can find the team rooms, and they offer on-site parking, free to members, chargeable to others
and I'll pop a link in the description below with details to the National Trust website on Bodiam Castle
it's worth pointing out you can walk around the castle for free, the ticket buys you entry inside the castle
and as you approach the castle you get your view of a 20th-century pillbox
before getting a glimpse of the castle proper
and what you see before you are the ruins of a 14th-century castle
and the original entrance across the moat would have been where we're standing roughly here
leading to the octagon in the center making it more difficult for attackers to reach the castle
as if the moat wasn't challenging enough as it was
and now it provides the perfect backdrop for Bodiam Castle
as well as home to one or two little fish
Bodiam Castle was built in 1385 by the King's knight, Edward Dallingridge
he received the King's permission to crenellate his existing manor house
but he decided to go just one better and built this castle
the aim was to provide a stronghold against the French during the hundred years war
but it became a rather impressive statement for how important he was
as I said it's now ruined
but what National Trust have done, have provided a description to the internal layout of this castle
including the Great Hall, the chapel and the kitchen
all of this was saved from destruction
by the MP John 'Mad Jack' Fuller
and before we applaud him, he made his money in the slavery and sugar trade
and was opposed to the abolition of slavery
Its last private owner was Lord Curzon who bequeathed it to the National Trust in 1926.
and there's more in the history of Bodiam Castle
in a little video that you can watch in a couple of the converted rooms
and as always there's plenty of volunteers around to answer any questions you may have
and now a little bit of trivia, it features briefly in Monty Python's The Holy Grail
and also featured in the 1981 music video for Ant Rap by Adam and the Ants
I was more of a Prince Charming man myself
now getting back to the castle and its layout
it's easy to envisage its grandeur
especially when you take a look at the kitchen area, and this is it, it's massive
there are two huge fireplaces where you can only imagine whole animals were roasted
in the corner of the kitchen we take a stroll down and find this
was this the water supply for the castle? if not what else could it be?
and now I look out of the Postern Tower
which would have once had its own portcullis and drawbridge was the tradesman's entrance to Bodiam castle
and it looks like they left their own mark
and the good news is we can climb the Postern Tower all the way to the very top
A word of warning, it's a steep, narrow spiral staircase
but the good news is when you get to the top
the views are certainly worth it
and even from up here, you can see the fish in the moat below
it's from the rooftop you get the best views
of the scale of the castle and you start to get the idea of the wealth of Sir Edward
and now it's time to leave the castle and head out through the gatehouse
with its giant portcullis, but don't forget to look up into the vaulted roof and there you'll find
the murder holes, so if you were lucky enough to get this far but where is something dropping on you
but as you may be aware this was never used as a defensive castle, the French never got this far
I think what's truly amazing is that Bodiam Castle seems to look stunning from whichever angle you look at it.
so my advice is, do a complete lap
so what do you think then? pretty impressive eh?
and now a look at the 20th-century fortification
a pill box from the second world war
a little less impressive we'd have to agree
Now let's take a look to Bodiam station. The end of the line for the Kent and East Sussex railway
I'm going to be honest with you, we missed the train here
but I'll show you it from the other end at Tenterden
well that wraps up this video
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