Bramber Castle
Bramber Castle | ||
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Bramber Castle ruin on a 17th century engraving |
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Creation time : | around 1070 | |
Castle type : | Mound castle | |
Conservation status: | ruin | |
Standing position : | Knight's castle | |
Geographical location | 50 ° 53 ′ 1 ″ N , 0 ° 19 ′ 1 ″ W | |
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Bramber Castle is a mound castle , believed to date from 1070, near the town of Bramber in West Sussex , England .
history
After the Norman conquest of England in 1066, William de Braose built Bramber Castle and a Norman church on a natural hill near the village of Bramber around 1070 , which is still there today and is still used for worship. It is believed that the location for the castle building near the Adur River and the nearby coastline was chosen for strategic reasons.
Upon completion, Bramber Castle remained in the possession of the de Braose family until 1324, with one brief exception . There are no precise records of the further history. It was only recorded that the church attached to the castle was badly damaged in the English Civil War in 1642.
ruin
Today there are only a few remains of the former castle. The most conspicuous part of the ruin is the ten-meter-high remainder of the former gatehouse, which has been preserved in full and contains a single window opening as well as the recesses of the former support beams. Further remains of the castle can be found behind the gatehouse. It is assumed that the foundations of the living areas and the guard house can be seen near the former gatehouse. Since large amounts of stones were previously transported away for other structural purposes in the area, these remains are very difficult to identify.
To the north of the gatehouse, relatively central on the hill, lies the former ten-meter-high mound of earth (cf. Motte ) of Bramber Castle. Remnants of the curtain wall can be seen only a few meters away. These have been preserved in some places at a height of around three meters.
Todays use
Despite the great destruction of the castle, the site is now a magnet for the local population. The extensive green areas and the growth of the moth with large trees mean that many families spend their free time here.