Pevensey Castle 

-290 AD (Original Fort Founded)

Carausius, a British Roman Navy Commander, built Pevensey Castle - formerly a fort (Anderitum). It acted as a defence system of the coast against Imperial forces during a rebellion.

During this period, Emperor Maximian ordered his execution following corruption allegations. Before Carausius had declared himself Emperor of Britain and northern Gaul in AD 286, breaking the link between the Roman Empire and Britain’s. Allectus, one of Carausius’ troops, killed him, and he also died after the rebellion ended in AD 296.

After the two links broke, Pevensey Castle’s condition deteriorated, and it took a different shape. It was oval and occupied ten acres, making it one of the largest Roman forts in Britain.

-395 AD

The fort continued to battle the raids against Saxon and Franks shortly until a new military command was established in the 4th century AD.

Notitia Dignitium, a scripted record of Roman documents, listed all the civil and military posts in the Roman Empire. It documented that nine forts (including Pevensey) were part of stopping Saxon and Franks’ invasions.

-471 AD to 491 AD

After the Roman army left, a group of individuals occupied the Pevensey fort. The individuals were protecting themselves from pirate raids. Despite their effort to defend themselves, the Saxon forces eventually attacked them. The Saxons killed all the inhabitants and settled in the fort.

The Saxons later abandoned Pevensey fort, and after a short period, new inhabitants inhabited the fortress. The fort was a high-status place during the Saxon era based on archaeological traces, including glass fragments.

-1066 (Castle Reestablished)

William, Duke of Normandy, led his army within the old Roman walls on 28th September 1066. The invasion occurred after King Harold’s II forces won at Stamford Bridge. Before he arrived at the fort, the Anglo-Saxon forces had already shifted to Northern Yorkshire.

When William landed within the Roman fort, he constructed a temporary camp to protect his army. He purposely cut a ditch across the peninsula to distinguish the original land from the ruins. Moreover, he repaired the ruined walls and built Hastings Castle to the eastern part of the fort.

As the Castle’s development continued, William the Conqueror led his army to meet King Harold’s troops at the Battle of Hastings. He defeated Harold’s forces. After this success, William gave ‘The Rape’ (Castle’s land next to the coast) of Pevensey and a large part of Sussex to his half-brother, Robert, Count of Mortain.

Robert, Count of Mortain, converted the Castle to an administration centre. Moreover, he replaced the old Roman wall by recreating it. The old wall turned into an outer bailey for the new Castle, while the inner bailey’s boundary comprised a ditch and earth made of timber palisade.

-1087

William died. He left three children who later ruled after splitting their father’s territories. His children were Robert Curthose, William Rufus, and Henry, who later became Duke of Normandy, William II of England, and King Henry I of England, respectively.

-1088

Robert, Duke of Normandy, rebelled against his brother William II. He attempted to take his brother’s seat as the King of England. Robert got support from the Count of Mortain and his brother Odo, Bayeux’s Bishop, who held the castle against William II. However, when William Rufus knew the plot against him, he led royal forces and besieged the Castle.

The strong army of the Castle opposed every assault until six weeks later when their suppliers ran out of food. However, Count of Mortain was allowed to keep Pevensey.

-1090 to 1130

William, Robert’s son, inherited the Castle after his father’s death. He rebelled against Henry I, who later captured his land. In 1102, Pevensey was granted to Gilbert de L'Aigle. However, Thomas Bucket, Archbishop of Canterbury, spent most of his time in the Castle when his relationship with Gilbert’s son (Richer) grew.

Nevertheless, the Castle continued to serve the royalties for a while with its main duty to secure the inhabitants.

-1135 to 1147 

Henry I died without a male heir. Therefore, a civil war ensued when his daughter Matilda, and his nephew, Stephen, claimed the seat. Stephen confiscated Henry I’s possessions and handed them over to Gilbert de Clare, Earl of Pembroke, who married Matilda. In 1147, the Castle was transformed into Crown Ownership after Gilbert ordered its besiege.

-1180 to 1230 (Stone Reinforcement/Fortification)

During the reign of Richard I, Pevensey Castle began its first stone fortifications in the 1190s, including the Great Keep. In 1216, Richard fought the invasion by Prince Louis, the French king’s son. The war led to damages that were later repaired.

Gilbert Marshal, Earl of Pembroke, took over Pevensey Castle in 1230 and was later passed to Peter of Savoy. The latter significantly upgraded the castle by reinforcing a stone wall in place of the timber palisade.

-1264 to 1399

Simon de Montfort, Earl of Leicester, rebelled against Henry II following the Second Barons War. He defeated the Royal forces at the Battle of Lewes in 1264. Moreover, Montfort besieged the Castle, but due to Pevensey Castle’s strong defence forces, he did not succeed.

After Peter of Savoy’s death in 1268, Pevensey Castle was returned to Royal ownership. Later, the Castle experienced harsh conditions due to its poor structures, coastal region exposure, and corrupt commanders.

John of Gaunt, Duke of Lancaster, took over the custody of Pevensey Castle. However, he provoked Richard’s II instructions to lead his military troop against the French attack. As a result, Pevensey Castle was sacked until 1399, when it was restored and became a state prison.

-1406 to 1587

Pevensey Castle was left to decay and ruin when it never took part in the Wars of the Roses. The castle acted as a state prison for a while, and in 1406 it held King James I of Scotland and Joan of Navarre, who were accused of plotting her step-son’s death by witchcraft.

In 1587, Pevensey Castle was under the threat of Spanish invasion, but Elizabeth I made emergency repairs and constructed a gun installation within the outer bailey for protection.

-1940

After the Castle’s neglect of over 400 years, Pevensey became a fortress again in 1940 when the German threats of invasion were high. Moreover, the Castle’s defence army added a significant number of machine-gun posts and an observation post. The machine-gun post survived, but WWII defences are not currently, following their destruction during the war.

-1945

Pevensey Castle became a scheduled monument under the protection of the English Heritage.