Castles · South East England
Sutton Valence Castle
In or near Otham.
Sutton Valence Castle — castle in Sutton Valence, Kent, England, UK.
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
- Headcorn · 5.6 km
- Free entry
- Family-friendly
- Limited wheelchair access
Getting there & planning your visit
To visit Sutton Valence Castle, the nearest railway station is Headcorn, located 5.6 km away. The postcode for sat-nav is ME17 3BS. Please note that entry is not free and wheelchair accessibility is limited.
About
Sutton Valence Castle is a castle in the United Kingdom — fortified architecture from the medieval, Tudor, or Victorian-revival period. Heritage designation: scheduled monument. Owned by English Heritage. Managed by English Heritage. Wikidata describes it as: "castle in Sutton Valence, Kent, England, UK". Coordinates: 51.2123°, 0.5977°.
Photo gallery
Heritage listing
Sutton Valence Castle is a ruined medieval fortification in the village of Sutton Valence in Kent, England. Overlooking a strategic route to the coast, the original castle probably comprised an inner and an outer bailey and a protective barbican, with a three-storey high keep on its southern side. It was built in the second half of the 12th century, probably by Baldwin of Bethune, the Count of Aumale. It then passed to the families of Marshal and de Montfort, before being given by King Henry III to his half-brother William de Valence in 1265, from whom the castle takes its current name. It was abandoned in the early 14th century and fell into ruin.
From the Historic England List Entry under OGL v3.
From English Heritage
The ruins of a small 12th-century Norman keep, with panoramic views over East Sussex and the Kentish Weald.
Read more on the official property page.
Protected designations
- Site of Special Scientific Interest: River Beult SSSI
- Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty: Kent Downs
Designations sourced from Natural England open data under OGL v3.
From the Wikipedia article
Sutton Valence Castle is a ruined medieval fortification in the village of Sutton Valence in Kent, England. Overlooking a strategic route to the coast, the original castle probably comprised an inner and an outer bailey and a protective barbican, with a three-storey high keep on its southern side. It was built in the second half of the 12th century, probably by Baldwin of Bethune, the Count of Aumale. It then passed to the families of Marshal and de Montfort, before being given by King Henry III to his half-brother William de Valence in 1265, from whom the castle takes its current name. It was abandoned in the early 14th century and fell into ruin. Today, the castle is managed by English Heritage, and the remains of the keep are open to the public.
Excerpt from Wikipedia under CC BY-SA 4.0. See the source article linked in Sources below.
Background
Architecture
Sutton Valence Castle is on a spur of the Chart Hills on the east side of the village of Sutton Valence. It probably comprised an inner, an outer bailey and a protective barbican, see the diagram. Access would have been through the eastern barbican, coming to an outer bailey, but these features only survive today as earthworks.
Sourced from Wikipedia under CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Coordinates
- 51.2123, 0.5977
- County
- Kent
- District
- Maidstone
- Parish
- Sutton Valence
- Postcode
- ME17 3BS
- Parliamentary constituency
- Weald of Kent
- Phone
- 0370 333 1181
- Nearest railway station
- Headcorn — 5.6 km
- Opening
- Open any reasonable time during daylight hours
- Official site
- www.english-heritage.org.uk
Sources
- wikidata: Q17677452 (CC0)
- wikipedia: Sutton Valence Castle (CC BY-SA 4.0)
- commons: Sutton Valence Castle.jpg (CC BY-SA 4.0)
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Frequently asked questions
- Where is Sutton Valence Castle?
- Sutton Valence Castle is in Kent, London, United Kingdom (postcode ME17 3BS), in the parish of Sutton Valence.
- What is Sutton Valence Castle?
- Sutton Valence Castle — castle in Sutton Valence, Kent, England, UK.
- How do I get to Sutton Valence Castle?
- The nearest railway station is Headcorn, about 5.6 km away. Drivers can use postcode ME17 3BS.
- Who runs Sutton Valence Castle?
- Sutton Valence Castle is operated by English Heritage.
- Is Sutton Valence Castle a listed building?
- Sutton Valence Castle is officially recognised as scheduled monument listed.
- Is Sutton Valence Castle a protected site?
- Yes — Sutton Valence Castle is part of the River Beult SSSI Site of Special Scientific Interest and the Kent Downs National Landscape (AONB).
- Does Sutton Valence Castle charge admission?
- Sutton Valence Castle typically charges admission. Check the official site for current ticket prices and opening hours.
- How do I get to Sutton Valence Castle?
- The nearest railway station is Headcorn, about 5.6 km away. Drivers can navigate to postcode ME17 3BS.