County guide · The Castle Rolls
Best castles in East Sussex
7 castles in East Sussex, from Bodiam's iconic moated silhouette to Hastings, built within a year of the Norman Conquest - by way of the rose-brick Tudor towers of Herstmonceux.
Map
Every castle on this list - 7 in total
Bodiam Castle
East Sussex
Moated 14th-century castle; exterior intact, interior ruined
Hastings Castle
East Sussex
Seasonal; 1066 Story exhibition
Pevensey Castle
East Sussex
Medieval castle within Roman fort walls
Herstmonceux Castle
East Sussex
Gardens daily; interior by guided tour
Lewes Castle
East Sussex
With Barbican House museum
Rye Castle (Ypres Tower)
East Sussex
13thC tower museum, open year-round
Camber Castle
East Sussex
Exterior viewable anytime; one-mile walk from Rye
Common questions
How many castles are there in East Sussex?
This roll lists 7 visitable castles, fortresses and tower houses in East Sussex.
What is the best-rated castle in East Sussex?
Bodiam Castle carries the strongest public rating of any castle in East Sussex on this roll - 4.7/5 from 8,078 Google reviews.
Can you reach any castle in East Sussex by train?
5 of the 7 sit within 1.5 miles of a railway station, the closest being Lewes Castle (Lewes, 0.2 miles), Rye Castle (Ypres Tower) (Rye, 0.3 miles), Hastings Castle (Hastings, 0.4 miles) and Pevensey Castle (Pevensey Bay, 0.4 miles). Those are straight-line distances from the station to the castle, so the walk on the ground is longer than the figure.
Can you go inside every castle in East Sussex?
Not all of them on the same terms. 1 of the 7 restricts what a visitor can see. At Camber Castle you get the grounds or a booked tour rather than free run of the building.