Castlefacts³

Winchelsea Castle

Has been described as a Rejected Masonry Castle

There are no visible remains

Name	Winchelsea Castle
Alternative Names
Historic Country	Sussex
Modern Authority	East Sussex
1974 Authority	East Sussex
Civil Parish	Icklesham

Royal castle projected but never begun. (Renn; etc.)

there was a stronghold or castle built by the king at the north-west corner of the town (Cooper 1850)

Gatehouse Comments

Despite the suggestion that a C13 royal castle was proposed (or even existed) in fact there is little evidence to support this and it is likely that no castle was ever considered (cf. the new similar dated foundation of Kingston upon Hull - where there certainly was never a royal castle). There is a castle field place name in the NW of Winchelsea, which has been used to support the suggestion of a planned castle. However, this area, the old village of Iham, was outside the borough of Winchelsea in land owned by a religious house when Winchelsea was built. The date of the first mention of this place-name seems to be 1500 (Martin and Martin p. 54). It should be noted that in 1487 Richard Guldeford was granted the lordship of Higham, alias Iham with licence to crenellate the manor there. Guldeford may have planned a crenellated house here and the place-name may reflect this late C15 intent, even if it came to nothing. The grant of Iham to Guldeford was conditional on him building 'le Camber' (later Camber Castle) and it may well be the rents of castle field were directed to the support of Camber Castle and the name simple reflects this relationship.

- Philip Davis

This site is a scheduled monument protected by law

Not Listed

County Historic Environment Record

www.eastsussex.gov.uk/atoz/heading450.aspx?forms=&acc=1&ae=1&ah=1&al=1&ar=1&aw=1

OS Map Grid Reference	TQ902175
Latitude	50.9259910583496
Longitude	0.705370008945465
Eastings	590200
Northings	117500