Pevensey Castle

The castle was built by the Romans (who called it Anderitum) around 290 AD but it fell into ruin shortly after the end of Roman occupation. Pevensey is the spot where the Normans first landed on 28 September 1066 before heading to Hastings and the castle was re-occupied by the Normans in 1066 during the Norman Conquest.

After the Norman Conquest, the Normans divided the old Roman fort into a castle with two fortified enclosures (the inner and outer baileys).

The wall around the outer bailey was built by the Romans and the inner bailey was originally built by the Normans, although what you see today dates mostly from the 13th and 14th centuries.

Pevensey Castle remained occupied up until the 16th century but fell into ruin again until 1925 when it was acquired by the government. It was used in a defensive role again during the Second World War when machine-gun posts were built into the Roman and medieval walls to protect against the threat of a German invasion.

The castle is enclosed by large curtain walls that stand up to 8.2m (27 ft) and are believed to have been 9.5m (31 ft) high when built. The curtain wall is supported by 10 remaining towers and the northern, eastern and western sections of the wall are mostly intact and clearly visible when travelling on the B2191 between Westham and Pevensey.

It is the largest of the nine Saxon shore forts and its walls and towers are the largest of any Roman fort in the region.

What to see at Pevensey Castle

Although Pevensey Castle is in ruins, it features a new museum and it is an important historical site that is worth visiting for anyone with an interest in British history.

The castle covers quite a large area and you can walk around the site and explore both the inner and outer bailey. The inner bailey is the more interesting part of the castle as the interior of the outer bailey is mostly grass.

The castle dungeon is now home to a museum that has exhibits showing artefacts that have been discovered at the castle. The museum tells the story of the castle’s fascinating history from its beginnings as a Roman Saxon Shore fort to its role in the Second World War.

Visiting Pevensey Castle

Pevensey Castle lies between the villages of Pevensey and Westham. Stagecoach Bus routes 55 and 99 run to Pevensey from Eastbourne (of these two bus routes, bus 55 stops closest to the castle) and both Pevensey & Westham and Pevensey Bay railway stations are within walking distance to the castle (Pevensey Bay is the closer of the two but only by a few minutes’ walk).

Parking is available at a pay and display carpark. Parking costs £2 but you can stay all day.

The admission charge is a little expensive but it does include an audio tour. A children’s version of the audio tour is also available.

The castle is a lovely spot for a picnic and there are several places to eat and drink nearby including the Castle Cottage tea rooms and the Royal Oak & Castle Inn.

As the castle is mostly in ruins, there is not a lot to see here and you can be in and out in half an hour, although you can spend up to two hours here particularly if you follow along with the full audio tour.