BRAMBER CASTLE

Sussex

Although the eye is naturally drawn to this big finger of ragged masonry, there is a lot more of Bramber Castle - curtain walling and a big wide motte - to be seen.

The Castle is one of the many Sussex Castles of the de Braose family and certainly existed by 1073, the masonry probably dating to before 1100.  The de Braoses owned the Castle until their line perished in 1342 when the Castle passed to the Crown.  It was destroyed in a ferocious siege in 1642.  The Roundheads using the nearby St. Nicholas' Church as a gun platform from which they thoroughly smashed Bramber Castle to pieces.

No decent Castle is complete without it's ghost legend, and Bramber has a humdinger!  William de Braose sided against King John during the Magna Carta episode.  As a punishment de Braose's wife and children were taken to Windsor and starved to death.  During December, on cold, bitter nights, you can hear the children's pitiful cries echoing around the broken walls of Bramber Castle.

The Castle is owned by English Heritage and is open all year and free to visit.

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© Text copyright - Raving Loony Productions, Andrew J. Müller and Roy Barton
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2001