Pevensey Castle
Pevensey Castle is a fortress ruin in East Sussex on the English south coast with origins in Roman times. The walls are made of stone and brick and still show their original structure clearly, with the ancient Roman perimeter measuring roughly 500 meters around.
The site began as a Roman coastal fort around 290 AD and was called Anderida in those times. It became significant again in 1066 when William the Conqueror landed here and built a new castle keep using the existing Roman walls as its foundation.
The castle served as a seat of authority and defense for communities over many centuries. Walking through the ruins, you can observe how the medieval fortress's design shaped how people moved through and protected the site.
The site sits on flat open ground that is easy to walk through, with pathways clearly marked throughout the ruins for self-guided exploration. Bring clothing suited to changing weather conditions and note that the castle is scheduled to reopen in March 2026.
The castle contains a hidden oubliette, a dark dungeon hole used to confine prisoners, which visitors can still see in the ruins today. Additionally, the site was reused as a military defensive position during the Second World War, with gun emplacements and machine gun posts built into the ancient walls.
The community of curious travelers
AroundUs brings together thousands of curated places, local tips, and hidden gems, enriched daily by 60,000 contributors worldwide.
