castle castle ruined medieval fortification village built second half 12th century probably baldwin count overlooking strategic route coast original castle probably comprised inner outer bailey protective storey high southern passed marshal families given king half brother castle takes current abandoned early 14th century fell ruin 21st century castle managed english_heritage remains open public history 12th 15th centuries castle probably built second half 12th century likely baldwin alternatively william baldwin father law castle built commanding position overlooking strategic route towns old location originally known stone castle constructed baldwin gave castle daughter marriage later remarried passing property second wife eleanor william death eleanor married earl leicester simon led rebellion king killed battle eleanor stripped castle king gave half brother supported conflict william castle acquired current son inherited castle travelled estates increasingly focusing attention handful great houses stayed occasions death castle passed marriage lawrence lord hastings held hastings family acquired historical records castle point appears abandoned early 14th century 15th century ruined 16th 21st centuries end 18th century historian described covered ivy branches trees walls archaeological excavations carried site mid-1950s assistance local focusing castle castle placed state owned english_heritage conservation work ruins 1980s protected law grade listed building scheduled monument architecture castle occupied spur chart hills adjacent village probably comprised inner outer bailey protective visitors entered eastern coming outer bailey features survive earthworks dry ditch protected inner bailey approximately metres positioned southern site probably included hall chapel kitchen castle survives metres square walls metres thick built flint rubble surviving metres high originally metres tall storeys entered external staircase leading doorway floor building corner tower spiral staircase linking floors buttresses corners
Sutton Valence Castle