Lodsworth Castle

Also known as, or recorded in historical documents as; Lodsbridge Mill; Selham

In the civil parish of Lodsworth.
In the historic county of Sussex (Modern Authority of West Sussex, 1974 county of West Sussex).

Strong C13 Motte. Excavation in 1964 revealed weak palisade, otherwise inconclusive. The motte is 6m high and grass covered. Close to river crossing. Jones lists a castle at Selham separately to the one at Lodsworth (qv). He references Holden in regard to this. Does Holden describe a second site? Has Jones confused the report and produced two sites? I think he confused the location given by Holden in his report and assumed that the motte very near to Selham must be a separate motte from one at Lodsworth, when, in fact, they appear to be the same. Lodsbridge Mill, mentioned in the title of Holden's paper is directly north of the motte but over the river.

This site has been described as a;
Timber Castle.
The confidence that this site is a medieval fortification or palace is Certain.
Earthworks remains.

This site is a scheduled monument protected by law.

The Ordnance Survey Map Grid Reference is SU93362104

Modern Map from Good for landscape form and features	Modern Map from Good for general location
Air Photo from	1st edition OS Map from

Sources of information, references and further reading

PastScape number; 249875

• Web site links
  • http://www.castleuk.net/castle_lists_south/197/lodsworthcastle.htm
• Books
  • Jones, R., 2003, 'Hastings to Herstmonceux: the castles of Sussex' in Rudling, D. (ed) The archaeology of Sussex to AD2000 (Great Dunham: Heritage Marketing and Publications) p171-8
    Salter, Mike, 2000, The Castles of Sussex (Malvern) p53
    Higham, R. and Barker, P., 1992, Timber Castles (Batsford) p358
    Guy, John, 1984, Castles in Sussex (Phillimore) p2,136
    King, D.J.C., 1983, Castellarium Anglicanum (London: Kraus) Vol2 p472
• Journal Articles
  • Holden, Eric W., 1967, 'The excavation of a Motte at Lodsbridge Mill, Lodsworth' Sussex Archaeological Collections Vol105 p103-126
    (Holden), 1965, Medieval Archaeology Vol9 p192