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Description: | A middle to late 12th century square keep castle, possibly built by William le Gros, count of Aumale, or his successor Baldwin de Bethune. It may have been built to control the road running from Maidstone to the Channel ports of Rye and Old Wichelsea. Later in 1265 it was given to William de Valance by his half brother King Henry III as a reward for his part in defeating a rebellion. The castle is situated on an arifically raised and levelled terrace, on a Spur of the Quarry Hills to the eastern edge of the Village of Sutton Valence. The keep is about 12 metres across. It is now ruinous with only one wall surviving to any significant height (now circa 7 metres: it may have one stood up to circa 20 metres high). Excavation in 1956 and 1957 produced pottery ranging from the 2nd half of the 12th century through to the late 13th century. It has been suggested on the basis of the excavation that a fore-building was added to the keep shortly after it was built, in order to protect the first floor main entrance to the keep, but that this addition was levelled circa 1200 and replaced with a stairway. It is thought that there was once a curtain wall surrounding the bailey, but no trace of this now exists. The south-eastern angle of the keep features the remains of a garderobe or latrine. Access to the upper levels of the keep was through a stair turret located on the north-eastern corner. The castle was abandoned at the end of the 13th century apparently peacefully. The remains of the castle are both a Listed Building and a Scheduled Monument. | Subjects: | Curtain Wall Defence Bailey Castle Keep | Source: | English Heritage - Viewfinder | Creator: | National Monuments Record | Identifier: | http://pastscape.english-heritage.org.uk... | Language: | en | Go to resource |
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