Scheduled Monuments›England›Lewes Castle

Lewes Castle

England
List entry 1013268
Nation
England
The designation
Reference
List entry 1013268
Authority
Historic England (NHLE)
Status
Scheduled Monument
Scheduled area
2.39 hectares
Grid reference
TQ 41383 10135
Boundary

Scheduled area

© Mapbox · © OpenStreetMap contributors · Boundary data © Historic England (NHLE)

Overview

History & significance

Lewes Castle is a motte-and-bailey fortification constructed in the immediate aftermath of the Norman Conquest, likely begun in the 1080s by William de Warenne, one of William the Conqueror's principal supporters. The castle comprises two mottes connected by a substantial defensive wall, an unusual and significant design that reflects its importance as a major stronghold controlling the Sussex Weald and the crossing of the River Ouse. The surviving earthworks and flint-built curtain wall remain substantial, though the original timber palisades were later replaced with stone fortifications. The site has remained an important symbol of Norman power in south-eastern England and continues to dominate the town's topography.

Lewes Castle is a scheduled monument protected by Historic England under reference 1013268. View the official record →

About this monument

Questions & answers

What is Lewes Castle?

Lewes Castle is a motte-and-bailey fortification constructed in the immediate aftermath of the Norman Conquest, likely begun in the 1080s by William de Warenne, one of William the Conqueror's principal supporters. It is designated a Scheduled Ancient Monument by Historic England (NHLE) under reference 1013268.

Who is responsible for protecting Lewes Castle?

Lewes Castle is a Scheduled Ancient Monument, legally protected by Historic England (NHLE) — the body responsible for designating and safeguarding heritage sites in England. The official designation reference is 1013268.

What other scheduled monuments are near Lewes Castle?

Several scheduled monuments lie within 10 km, including Money Burgh, oval barrow 200m west of Deans Farm (6.5 km), Cross dyke on Telscombe Tye (7.2 km), Pedlersburgh: a bowl barrow on Telscombe Tye (7.7 km).

Unlimited access

Everything a full report reveals about Lewes Castle

This page is just one thread. A full Aubrey report pulls together 15 strands of Lewes Castle's history, each drawn from the record and mapped to the exact spot:

Overview
An interactive map of the location with every monument and battle plotted, and a plain-language history built only from what the record holds.
Monuments
The legally protected scheduled monuments around the location, each with its period, type and significance.
Battlefields
The battles and sieges fought on this ground, mapped and set on a timeline of the wider conflict.
Roman Britain
The Roman roads, forts and towns near here, and the Iron Age people who held the land before Rome arrived.
Domesday
The settlement's entry in the 1086 Domesday Book: who held it, what it was worth, and the people who worked the land.
Civil War
The Civil War fighting, garrisons and recorded militaria in this area, woven into the arc of 1642 to 1651.
Geology
The bedrock beneath the site, its age and rock type, reaching back hundreds of millions of years.
LiDAR
Laser-scanned terrain that reveals earthworks hidden under fields and woodland, with likely features flagged.
Local Names
What the street and field names around here actually mean, and the history buried inside them.
Historical Maps
Ordnance Survey maps from the 1800s, layered over the location as it stands today.
Literature
The books, county histories, charters and archives that mention this place, quoted with their sources.
Legal
The protected sites nearby and the metal-detecting, access and treasure laws that apply to this ground.
Spotlight
A deep dive into the most remarkable, lesser-known history of the place, traced back to the record.
Target Zones
For detectorists: the most promising ground to search nearby, ranked by confidence, with what to expect.
Timeline
The whole story of the location told era by era, from prehistory to the present day.
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Every location is different. Not every section appears for every place, only what the historical record actually holds turns up in a report.

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Nearby

Other scheduled monuments within 10 km

Money Burgh, oval barrow 200m west of Deans Farm
6.5 km
Cross dyke on Telscombe Tye
7.2 km
Pedlersburgh: a bowl barrow on Telscombe Tye
7.7 km
Bowl barrow on Telscombe Tye, 650m south west of Pedlersburgh
8.3 km
Multiple ring-ditch at Mount Pleasant, Denton
8.9 km
Long Barrow on Beacon Hill
8.9 km
Long barrow on Beacon Hill, 160m north west of the windmill
9 km
Bowl Barrow on Peacehaven Heights, 242m south-west of Warren Court
10.1 km
The ground beneath

The bedrock under Lewes Castle

Lewes Castle stands on White Chalk Subgroup, bedrock that formed in the Maastrichtian. The rock here is chalk.

The wider landscape

Around Lewes Castle

Battle of Lewes 1264Battle (1264) · ~1.3 miles
Domesday entry for Lewes, Sussex →
All Scheduled Monuments