Bramber Castle facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Bramber Castle |
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| West Sussex, England | |
The remains of the gatehouse
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 Bramber Castle
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| Coordinates | 50°53′03″N 0°18′58″W / 50.884087°N 0.316088°W |
| Type | Motte-and-bailey |
| Height | 17 metres |
| Site information | |
| Owner | English Heritage |
| Open to the public |
Yes |
| Condition | Ruined |
| Site history | |
| Materials | Stone |
Bramber Castle is an old Norman castle in West Sussex, England. It is a type of castle called a "motte-and-bailey". This means it had a tall mound (the motte) and a walled area (the bailey). The castle sits in the village of Bramber, near the town of Steyning. It looks out over the River Adur. For a long time, it was the main home of the powerful Braose family. It was also the center of a large area called the Barony of Bramber.
Contents
Castle History
Experts believe the Normans built the first fort here around 1070. It became the main office for a new area called the "Rape of Bramber". This castle helped control the River Adur where it met the sea.
The castle was owned by William de Braose, 1st Lord of Bramber. His family came from a place called Falaise. The castle stayed with the de Braose family for many years.
Changes in Ownership
For a short time, King John took the castle away from the family. But it soon went back to them. The male line of the de Braose family ended in 1326. After that, the castle passed to the Mowbray family.
Bramber was not a rich area of Sussex. The Mowbray family did not live at the castle. By the 1550s, people called it "the late castle". It was mostly used for animals to graze.
English Civil War Role
During the First English Civil War, Bramber was held by Parliamentary soldiers. Their leader was James Temple. In December 1643, a small fight happened nearby. Royalist soldiers tried to take the bridge over the River Adur. They did not succeed.
It is not clear if the castle itself was used in this fight. There is also a story that the church next to it was used for guns. But there is no real proof of this.
Castle Features
Not much of the original castle is left today. Many of its stones were used to build the bridge. They were also used for other buildings in the village. Digs in 1966-1967 showed most of it was built between 1073 and 1130.
Gatehouse and Walls
The most visible part left is the gatehouse tower. It still stands almost as tall as it used to be. You can still see a window and holes where floor beams once were. Beyond it are the foundations of what might have been living areas. There were also places for guards.
The original gatehouse was changed into a single tower in the 1100s. They added 3 more meters to its height. The entrances were also blocked up. This happened when there was more danger during King John's time.
You can still see the shaped stones of an old entrance. But most of the remaining walls are just rough stones.
Motte and Church
North of the gatehouse is the original castle motte. This is an earthen mound that rises about 10 meters (30 feet) high. A short distance away, part of the curtain wall still stands. It is about 3 meters (10 feet) high in some places.
There is also a small church right next to the castle entrance. It was first built for the people living in the castle. This church is still used today.
Later Structures
During World War II, two small concrete forts called pillboxes were built at the castle site. These have since been removed.
