Bodiam Castle, East Sussex

It was a lovely autumn day, the family were at a loose end and we were keen to get some fresh air. What better than a walk round a castle and a sit on the beach? We therefore planned a double hit of Bodiam Castle and nearby Hastings as our destinations.

Bodiam Castle

After slipping through the pretty village of Bodiam, we arrived at the entrance to the Castle grounds and were charged £2 just to park the car….in a field. This gives you access to the grounds of the castle which, in fairness, are pretty stunning. The castle is entirely surrounded by a moat and for a time you wonder how you will get in. On the far side is the ticket office and causeway to gain entry. We paid our £5.80 each and went in.

The interior of Bodiam Castle

Considering that the outside looks so complete it’s almost a bit of a shock to find the inside such a ruin. Apparently it was ’slighted’ by Parliamentary troops during the Civil war. There was a Halloween treasure hunt for children while we were there which looked fun and I was a bit disappointed that my daughter wasn’t quite old enough to have a go.

Graffiti on the walls

You can go up several of the towers and along a small patch of wall which give you some super views of the Sussex countryside. Check out some the ancient and not so ancient graffiti on the walls. There is also a 15 minute video to watch about the history of the castle. As ever with National Trust properties, I find them pretty interesting but I do slightly question the value for money.

Overall, a cool place and worth a look. I’d only bother going inside if your especially keen though.

A tower of Bodiam Castle