BODIHAM CASTLE, SUSSEX

1813 Engraving - Published in London by John Harris, St. Pauls Church Yard, Novem. 1, 1813 (Dated at bottom of print)

Engraved by: T Bonnor from a Drawing by F. W. L. Stockdale for the Beauties of England and Wales

Overall Size including margins: 5 x 6 7/8 inches

Condition: Very Good. A nice quality copper engraving. Guaranteed original antique print and not a modern reproduction.

Bodiam Castle is a quadrangular castle located in East Sussex, England. It was built in 1385 by Sir Edward Dalyngrigge, a former knight of Edward III, supposedly at the request of Richard II in order to defend the surrounding area from French invasion. However, recent research suggests that the castle was built more for show than as an effective defense. There is evidence supporting that research, because the walls of Bodiam Castle are only a couple of feet thick. The water castle is completely surrounded by a spring fed moat, with approaches from the north and south. The castle itself is rectangular in shape, being longer in the north-south direction, and has large round towers at each of the four corners, and a square tower defending the centre of each side. The castle well is located in one of the corner towers, the chapel in another. The main gatehouse is on the center of the North wall of the quadrangle, while the southern square tower has a postern gate. Both gateways had long bridges leading over the moat, of which the northern one turns at right angles on an octagonal bastion before reaching the shore. This provided further defence to the main gate by exposing any attackers approaching along the bridge to arrow fire (and, by this time, gunfire) from the defenders in the north-west tower. Within the bailey is a ruined range of domestic buildings which were probably once very grand. To the right of the postern tower is the castle's great hall. Most of the castle interior was destroyed by parliamentary forces during the English Civil War, following their policy of slighting potentially threatening fortifications. The castle is typical of later-medieval castles in that much attention was placed on comfortable living quarters, and as such its value as a military fortification has been doubted. Though the moat is a good barrier, the walls of the castle are not very thick, and there is only one line of defence (unlike a concentric castle). When it was built, early cannon were already in use, but castles were still valuable as bases for troops even if they were becoming more vulnerable to direct attack. (wikipedia free online encyclopedia)