Castles · South East England
Herstmonceux Castle
In or near Herstmonceux.
Herstmonceux Castle — castle near Herstmonceux, East Sussex, England; formerly a manor.
Wikimedia Commons contributors — see linked file page for photographer and licence licence
Plan your visit
- Typical visit
- 1.5 h–3 h
- Nearest railway station
- Pevensey Bay · 5.8 km
- Family-friendly
- Limited wheelchair access
Getting there & planning your visit
To visit Herstmonceux Castle, the nearest railway station is Pevensey Bay, located 5.8 km away. The postcode for sat-nav is BN27 1RN. Please note that wheelchair accessibility is limited.
About
Herstmonceux Castle is a castle in the United Kingdom — fortified architecture from the medieval, Tudor, or Victorian-revival period. Records date its origin to 1401. Constructed primarily of brick. Heritage designation: Grade I listed building. Owned by Alfred Bader. Wikidata describes it as: "castle near Herstmonceux, East Sussex, England; formerly a manor". Coordinates: 50.8702°, 0.3392°.
Photo gallery
Heritage listing
Herstmonceux Castle is a brick-built castle, dating from the 15th century, near Herstmonceux, East Sussex, England. It is one of the oldest significant brick buildings still standing in England. The castle was renowned for being one of the first buildings to use that material in England, and was built using bricks taken from the local clay, by builders from Flanders. It dates from 1441. Construction began under the then-owner, Sir Roger Fiennes, and was continued after his death in 1449 by his son, Lord Dacre. The castle was gifted to Queen's University at Kingston, a Canadian university, in 1993 by Alfred and Isabel Bader. The parks and gardens of Herstmonceux Castle and Place are Grade II* listed on the Register of Historic Parks and Gardens.
From the Historic England List Entry under OGL v3.
Summary from the official site
Herstmonceux Castle is a historical site located in East Sussex, featuring a 15th-century moated castle surrounded by 300 acres of gardens and woodland. Visitors can explore themed gardens, enjoy outdoor activities, and learn about the castle's rich history.
Read more on the official property page.
Protected designations
- Site of Special Scientific Interest: Pevensey Levels SSSI
- Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty: High Weald
- Ramsar wetland: Pevensey Levels
Designations sourced from Natural England open data under OGL v3.
From the Wikipedia article
Herstmonceux Castle is a brick-built castle, dating from the 15th century, near Herstmonceux, East Sussex, England. It is one of the oldest significant brick buildings still standing in England. The castle was renowned for being one of the first buildings to use that material in England, and was built using bricks taken from the local clay, by builders from Flanders. It dates from 1441. Construction began under the then-owner, Sir Roger Fiennes, and was continued after his death in 1449 by his son, Lord Dacre. The castle was gifted to Queen's University at Kingston, a Canadian university, in 1993 by Alfred and Isabel Bader. The parks and gardens of Herstmonceux Castle and Place are Grade II* listed on the Register of Historic Parks and Gardens. Other listed structures on the Herstmonceux estate include the Grade II listed walled garden to the north of the castle, and the Grade II* listed telescopes and workshops of the Herstmonceux Science Centre.
Excerpt from Wikipedia under CC BY-SA 4.0. See the source article linked in Sources below.
Background
History
The first written evidence of the existence of the Herst settlement appears in William the Conqueror's Domesday Book of 1086, which reports that one of William's closest supporters granted tenancy of the manor at Herst to a man named 'Wilbert'. In 1541, Sir Thomas Fiennes, Lord Dacre, was tried for murder and robbery of the King's deer after his poaching exploits on a neighboring estate resulted in the death of a gamekeeper. He was convicted and hanged as a commoner, and the Herstmonceux estate was temporarily confiscated by Henry VIII of England, but was restored to the Fiennes family during the reign of one of Henry's children. The profligacy of the 15th Baron Dacre, heir to the Fiennes…
Visiting
The castle was used for filming part of The Silver Chair, a 1990 BBC adaptation of the book (one of The Chronicles of Narnia) by C. S. Lewis. The castle and gardens were used by comedians Reeves and Mortimer for one of their Mulligan and O'Hare sketches. In August 2002, The Coca-Cola Company rented the castle for use as part of a prize in a Harry Potter-themed sweepstakes—the castle served as "Hogwarts" in a day of Harry Potter-related activities for the sweepstakes winners. A "painting" of the castle was used as a magical cursed object in the U.S. television show Charmed – episode 2.3 "The Painted World". Due to its suitable appearance, Herstmonceux Castle was a filming location for the…
Sourced from Wikipedia under CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Coordinates
- 50.8702, 0.3392
- County
- East Sussex
- District
- Wealden
- Parish
- Herstmonceux
- Postcode
- BN27 1RN
- Parliamentary constituency
- Bexhill and Battle
- Established
- 1401
- Nearest railway station
- Pevensey Bay — 5.8 km
- Opening
- Daily 10am–5pm; last admission at 4pm
- Official site
- www.herstmonceux-castle.com
Sources
- wikidata: Q2652207 (CC0)
- wikipedia: Herstmonceux Castle (CC BY-SA 4.0)
- commons: Herstmonceux castle aerialview.jpg (CC BY-SA 4.0)
Other places nearby
Herstmonceux Science Centre
Science centres · 0.5 km
The Parish Church of All Saints, Herstmonceux
Historic churches · 0.5 km
Isti Mirant Stella
Public art & sculpture · 0.5 km
Wartling
Villages · 1.7 km
Windmill Hill Mill, Herstmonceux
Windmills · 1.8 km
Herstmonceux Free Church
Historic churches · 1.9 km
The Bulls Head Inn
Historic pubs · 2.1 km
Pevensey Levels SSSI
Forests & woodlands · 2.2 km
The Sundial Restaurant
Restaurants · 2.4 km
The Brewers' Arms Inn
Historic pubs · 2.4 km
Castle Playhouse
Theatres · 2.4 km
Buckwell Place
Gardens · 2.6 km
Nearby
📷 5Science centres · South East England
Herstmonceux Science Centre
Herstmonceux Science Centre — a other in england-south-east, United Kingdom.
📷 5Historic churches · South East England
The Parish Church of All Saints, Herstmonceux
The Parish Church of All Saints, Herstmonceux — Grade I listed church in Herstmonceux, East Sussex, England, UK.
📷 5Public art & sculpture · South East England
Isti Mirant Stella
Isti Mirant Stella — a public art in england-south-east, United Kingdom.
📷 5📷 5Windmills · South East England
Windmill Hill Mill, Herstmonceux
Windmill Hill Mill, Herstmonceux — Grade II* listed building-listed windmill in england-south-east, United Kingdom.
📷 5Historic churches · South East England
Herstmonceux Free Church
Herstmonceux Free Church — church in Herstmonceux, East Sussex, England, UK.
Where to eat & stay near Herstmonceux Castle
Places to stay
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Sovereign View
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Little Downash — a campsite in england south east.
📷 5Caravan parks · South East England
Normans Bay Camping and Caravanning Club
Normans Bay Camping and Caravanning Club — a caravan park in england south east.
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Normans Bay Caravan Park
Normans Bay Caravan Park — a caravan park in england south east.
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The Homestead
The Homestead — a caravan park in england south east.
Places to eat & drink
📷 7Historic pubs · South East England
The Bulls Head Inn
The Bulls Head Inn in England South East, United Kingdom.
📷 7Restaurants · South East England
The Sundial Restaurant
The Sundial Restaurant — a restaurant in england south east.
📷 7Historic pubs · South East England
The Brewers' Arms Inn
The Brewers' Arms Inn in England South East, United Kingdom.
📷 5Historic pubs · South East England
The Red Lion Inn
The Red Lion Inn in England South East, United Kingdom.
📷 5Historic pubs · South East England
The George Hotel
The George Hotel in England South East, United Kingdom.
📷 5Historic pubs · South East England
The Horse And Groom Public House
The Horse And Groom Public House in England South East, United Kingdom.
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Frequently asked questions
- Where is Herstmonceux Castle?
- Herstmonceux Castle is in East Sussex, South-East England, United Kingdom (postcode BN27 1RN), in the parish of Herstmonceux.
- What is Herstmonceux Castle?
- Herstmonceux Castle — castle near Herstmonceux, East Sussex, England; formerly a manor.
- How do I get to Herstmonceux Castle?
- The nearest railway station is Pevensey Bay, about 5.8 km away. Drivers can use postcode BN27 1RN.
- When was Herstmonceux Castle built?
- Built or established in 1401.
- Who owns Herstmonceux Castle?
- Herstmonceux Castle is owned by Alfred Bader.
- Is Herstmonceux Castle a listed building?
- Herstmonceux Castle is officially recognised as Grade I listed building listed.
- Is Herstmonceux Castle a protected site?
- Yes — Herstmonceux Castle is part of the Pevensey Levels SSSI Site of Special Scientific Interest and the High Weald National Landscape (AONB).
- Does Herstmonceux Castle charge admission?
- Herstmonceux Castle typically charges admission. Check the official site for current ticket prices and opening hours.