Bodiam Castle is situated beside the River Rother in East Sussex and was built in the late 14th century by a veteran of King Edward III’s wars with France, originally as a coastal defence. In 1385, Sir Edward Dalyngrygge was given permission to fortify his house against invasion from France, but then decided to build a new stone castle a short distance away from the house.
What can be seen today is a relatively small, picturesque building that symbolises the movement from traditional medieval castle to comfortable manor house. With an almost square construction, Bodiam Castle has a notable symmetry and is surrounded by a wide moat. The moat was created from an artificial lake which, in turn, originated from allowing the river to flow into a rectangular area of marshy land.
At each corner of the curtain wall stands a four-storey, cylindrical tower, with rectangular towers located mid-way along each wall. The southern rectangular tower of the Postern Gate at one time carried the drawbridge across the moat. Symmetrically opposite stands the Gatehouse with its twin, rectangular towers consuming one third of the northern wall. A deep arch and parapet connect the towers of the Gatehouse. The gun-ports on the towers were a later edition to the castle. Access to Bodiam Castle today remains via the moat on the north side, passing through the Octagon and the Barbican before reaching the Gatehouse. The Barbican was originally constructed as a two-storey gatehouse but only the lower part of the western wall survives. Bodiam Castle has no keep, thus employing the gatehouse as a defence to the bailey within the castle walls.
- VISIT> http://www.theheritagetrail.co.uk/castles/bodiam%20castle.htm
- ALSO TRY> http://www.history.uk.com/history/bodiam-castle/
- ACCESS: Is quite good around the grounds with man made paths, you probably can take a wheelchair into the castle but could not really look around the main parts as there is a lots of obstacles.
- PHOTO INFO> You differently need a wide angle lens here, I used a 55-300mm lens but could not get the wide shots I wanted. I do not think there is much opportunity for close up shots so I wouldn’t bother with a macro lens.
Jeff Borrers' photography 
What do you think?