Hastings Castle

I recently visited Hastings Castle, just before it closed for the Winter, anyway, here's some photographs, history, and thoughts...

In 1066, William the Bastard, later known as William the Conqueror, brought with him prefabricated sections for 'motte-and-bailey' castles to be constructed on conquered land. He is known to have constructed two of these castles before his first battle; at Pevensey and Hastings. William and his men probably spent the night before the Battle of Hastings (13-14^th October) at the fortress in Hastings.

Dungeons to the left of me... 

dungeons to the right...

The photographs above are of the 2 "dungeons" discovered in the 19th century, though they are probably old storage rooms, so says the blurb! 

Nice view to the west... 

Hastings Castle was first a wooden tower on a man-made mound or 'motte' surrounded by a courtyard or 'bailey', with a wooden palisade enclosing the bailey. By 1070, William had given orders to reconstruct Hastings Castle in stone, and to build the Church of St. Mary there, in the 1070s. The keep was rebuilt in the south eastern corner of the castle in the 1170s, and further alterations were made during the reign of Henry II.  

Fearing an invasion following Normandy being lost to the French, King John ordered the destruction of all Sussex castles lest they fall into enemy hands. There appears to have been little lasting damage done to Hastings Castle though, and his son, Henry III, ordered the castle repaired in the 1220s, with additional renovations made in 1249. 

In 1287 a great storm caused serious damage to Hastings, and the soft sandstone cliffs and south wall and keep fell into the sea. In 1337 and 1339 the castle was damaged further due to attacks by the French, and, together with further erosion to the site, the structure fell into disrepair and the castle was abandoned.

View to the Old Town to the east...

A private family then purchased Hastings Castle and the land was used for farming over the next few centuries. Remnants of the castle were rediscovered and then excavated in 1824, some of it being reconstructed, and the castle became a tourist attraction. Hastings Castle later suffered further damage during World War II.  

Another view to the east, well worth a visit in the Spring!