Bodiam

A few weeks back we went to Bodiam, a beautiful fourteenth century castle overlooking the River Rother in East Sussex. As it says on the National Trust Web site:

One of the most famous and evocative castles in Britain, Bodiam was built in 1385, as both a defence and a comfortable home. The exterior is virtually complete and the ramparts rise dramatically above the moat. Enough of the interior survives to give an impression of castle life. There are spiral staircases and battlements to explore, and wonderful views of the Rother Valley from the top of the towers. In the impressive gatehouse is the castle's original wooden portcullis, an extremely rare example of its kind.

The man who built the castle/manor house was Sir Edward Dalyngrigge, who got permission from the king (Edward III) to build it.

Approaching from the Rother in the South, past the car park, there are some fine old trees and ducks.
Actually we have no idea how old this busy duck was.

To enter the castle, which looks intact and perfect - pretty much - from the outside, you need to go around to the North side.


This is where there is a wooden bridge, leading past some of the ruins of the defences, to the castle gate.
Above the gate are the coats of arms of Sir Edward and some of his superiors.
A simplified map Inside, it is all tumble down and far less well preserved; we had fun wandering around and climbing the spiral staircases in the towers to the battlements.



The view through one of the windows into the centre of Bodiam:
And the view from the battlements:

On the day we were there, there was a hop festival a short distance away (less than half a mile), at Bodiam station on the Kent and East Sussex Railway. Just south of the Rother. From the station you can see the castle:

The festival included lots of different elements, included some steam engines and vintage cars.
You'll see on the side of this machine that it has the name of William Forster on the side. I went to a school of the same name (then), named after the nineteenth century educationalist William Edward Forster. The owners did not know what the relationship might be with their engine-manufacturer. But the festival was mostly about the families from th East End of London who used to come down to Kent and East Sussex to pick hops. Grainy black-and-white photos of whole families coming down and living around for a few weeks in the countryside, on holiday, and picking the hops. Living in shacks like this one.
And hanging up their washing by the hops growing all around them (these are a few seasons too early to harvest apparently)
Around Bodiam the hops were grown for Guiness, we were told. I bought a bottle of locally-brewed ale (we couldn't try the draft beer as we were driving back). It was foul when I opened it a few days later - probably been in storage too long, I guess.

The Kent and East Sussex Railway runs from Bodiam to Tenterden, and is a beautiful, simple preserved steam railway. Previously, we'd been to Tenterden - where there is a small Museum to Colonel Stephens of light railway fame, and Northiam - where we had met and had a book signed by Christopher Awdry. Amazing. But this was our first visit to Bodiam.
The festival, as noted had attracted traction engine and other steam and vintage enthusiasts.





Which seemed to fit in rather well with the local bees and a presentation of historic rolling stock.

This was an absolutely marvellous day out (well I thought so). Castle, preserved steam railway and beeric history. Smashing.