Shoreham

Has been described as a Questionable Timber Castle (Motte), and also as a Questionable Uncertain

There are no visible remains

NameShoreham
Alternative Names
Historic CountrySussex
Modern AuthorityWest Sussex
1974 AuthorityWest Sussex
Civil ParishShoreham By Sea

Guy records Horsley as writing "Shoreham appears to have had a castle formerly, but where situated it is now impossible to determine; no remnant standing nor any tradition relative to its site. It, and the manor, was held of the barony of Bramber."

There have been sporadic suggestions from Horsfield onwards for a fortification at Shoreham, the most recent proposing a late 11th-century motte and bailey castle on the northern side of New Shoreham. This appears to be based on a single and confusing 14th-century reference and is implausible. (ref. Horsfield; Stevens. Note the Calendar of Inquisitions Post Mortem source that Stevens and Horsfield cite is from 1325-6, and relates to the death of a later William de Braose, not his 11th-century ancestor.) (Harris, 2009)

Gatehouse Comments

Guy does not state which Shoreham he believed to have a castle. Old Shoreham was not a particularly significant place although it was a large Domesday manor held by William Braose, who probably would not need another castle so close to Bramber. New Shoreham may have been founded as early as the late C11 but more probably in the 1120s-1130s. The borough of Shoreham is mentioned in 1235 and it was represented as a borough from 1248 onwards. The town was one of the leading English ports until the harbour entrance became blocked sometime in the C13 or C14. Given it's importance a castle at Shoreham is a possibility, but other new boroughs of the C13 (i.e. Hull; New Winchelsea), did not have castles. The town did have a prison in 1221 but generally, other than local governance, the earlier legal centre was Bramber Castle and later Lewes and Chichester. Given map reference is approximate only.

- Philip Davis

Not scheduled

Not Listed

County Historic Environment Record
OS Map Grid ReferenceTQ215056
Latitude50.8374900817871
Longitude-0.275449991226196
Eastings521500
Northings105600
HyperLink HyperLink HyperLink

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Books

  • Guy, John, 1984, Castles in Sussex (Phillimore) p. 135
  • Horsfield ,T.W., 1835, The History, Antiquities and Topography of the County of Sussex (Baxter, Sussex Press, Lewes) p. 213

Primary Sources

  • Maxwell Lyte, H.C. (ed), 1910, Calendar of Inquisitions Post Mortem, Edward II Vol. 6 p. 435 no. 701 online copy (Calendar entry for the reference given in Harris. Does not mention 'castle'.)

Other

  • Harris, R.B., Jan 2009, Shoreham Historic Character Assessment Report: Sussex Extensive Urban Survey Download copy
  • Stevens, S., 1992, Was there a Norman Castle at New Shoreham? (unpubl. BA dissertation, University of York)