Bodiam Castle | Sussex | DJI Mini 4 Pro | 4K | Drone Video | 60 FPS |

Bodiam Castle is a 14th-century moated castle near Robertsbridge in East Sussex, England. It was built in 1385 by Sir Edward Dalyngrigge, a former knight of Edward III, with the permission of Richard II, ostensibly to defend the area against French invasion during the Hundred Years' War.

Today the castle sits within the Rother valley as a moated ruin, but in medieval times it was a symbol of prestige and hosted high society. The castle is an important survivor, both as a work of architecture and for its medieval setting.

A turbulent age
Civil unrest and wars
Bodiam Castle was built around 1385 by Sir Edward Dallingridge and his wife Elizabeth. They lived in a turbulent age, with protests and social upheaval caused by the Black Death and royal disputes that led to the Wars of the Roses.

Becoming a knight
During the second half of the 14th century England was at war with France, and his military career brought Sir Edward prestige and wealth. He was a soldier of fortune in north-western France from 1367, Knight of the Shire of Sussex after 1379 and Warden of London in 1392, a promotion made by King Richard II. As a servant of the king, Dallingridge reached the highest circles of English society.

Marks that tell a tale
Built by craftsmen
A stone-by-stone survey undertaken in 2016 found over 800 inscriptions. Banker’s marks were the most common marks found and would have been made by those roughing out the stone for use in the external walls. Marks made by fine masons are far less common and are only found in the high status areas of the castle. These would have been made by expert masons responsible for detailed carving and quality control.

Ritual protection marks
A large number of protection marks have been found around entrances and windows of the castle. Designed to ward off evil influences, these suggest that the medieval castle occupants felt they needed something stronger than battlements and portcullises to protect them.

The castle becomes a ruin
Today much of the castle interior is lost. Nobody can be certain when Bodiam Castle stopped being a home, and there is no evidence of a siege. The castle may have slowly fallen into disrepair during the 15th-17th centuries, when owned by a series of absent landlords.

The 18th century saw a growing interest in ancient monuments and Britain’s ruins became popular places to visit. Many examples of graffiti from these early tourists can be found at Bodiam.

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MUSIC: Nothing Else Matters (Medieval) by #apocalyptica