Bodiam Castle, England

The Bodiam Castle is a quadrangular medieval castle located beside the River Rother in East Sussex, England. The Bodiam Castle was built in 1385 by Sir Edward Dalygrigge as a protection from the French invasion which endangered England at the end of 14th century. The castle remained in the Dalygrigge family until 1483 when it passed to Sir Thomas Lewknor by marriage.

At the outbreak of the English Civil War (from 1642 to 1651) was the Bodiam Castle owned by John Huffon, 2nd Earl of Thanet and a supporter of the Royalists but in 1644 he sold it to Sir Nathiel Powel who was a Parliamentarian. Because its Parliamentarian owner the castle did not suffer during the turbulent times as much as many authors suggest. There are no records of destruction of the interior of the castle by the Parliament Forces and there is also no visible damage on the exterior which would probably occurred in such case. However, the Bodiam Castle soon after the end of the English Civil War fell into decay until 1916 when it was required and restored by Lord Curzon. On his death in 1925 he bequeathed it to the National Trust.