Castle Croft, Ninfield
Has been described as a Rejected Timber Castle (Motte)
There are earthwork remains
| Name | Castle Croft, Ninfield |
| Alternative Names | Rats Castle |
| Historic Country | Sussex |
| Modern Authority | East Sussex |
| 1974 Authority | East Sussex |
| Civil Parish | Ninfield |
Castle Croft. An earthwork comprising a convex platform raised above the surrounding ground and enclosed within a fairly deep but narrow trench. Possibly a dry island for stock when the area is flooded, but "a more reasonable explanation" is that it was a "crannog or marsh village". Known locally as Rat's Castle.(VCH) The name Rat's Castle acquired because it was traditionally the refuge for water rats. Possibly a cattle refuge in times of flood.Castle Croft, an oval area, under permanent pasture, c 90.0m NE-SW by c 64.0m transversely, raised about 1.5m above the surrounding drained flood plain. It is steep-sided and almost completely encircled by a hedge in such a manner as to form a revetment. It appears to form an integral part of the system of fields reclaimed from marshland, and as such is almost certainly contemeporary. As suggested, it is probably a cattle refuge formed by the sculpturing of a natural rise. The interior is featureless.(OS field report) Roman tile has been recovered from the make up of the earthwork and a quantity of Roman coins found by metal detectorists on the mound. These finds suggest the site may be Romano-British possibly related to a quayside settlement. (East Sussex HER)
Not scheduled
Not Listed
Historic England (PastScape) Defra or Monument number(s)
County Historic Environment Record
| OS Map Grid Reference | TQ681115 |
| Latitude | 50.8792686462402 |
| Longitude | 0.388130009174347 |
| Eastings | 568100 |
| Northings | 111580 |
