Archaeology at Bodiam Castle
‘Bodiam 100’ is a three-year project to explore the buried archaeology of this iconic site leading up to the 100th anniversary in 2026 of the property being bequeathed to the National Trust.
Visiting Bodiam can be like travelling in time, across a landscape that has been managed and altered by people over thousands of years. In the National Trust collection at Bodiam Castle are items from all periods, such as a Neolithic polished stone axe and a late Iron Age cremation urn, Roman tiles, a medieval pilgrim badge and fragments of pottery and leather, and more recent artefacts like clay pipes and coins, all of which help to tell the tales of those who lived, worked and visited this place.
While the 14th-century castle forms the central focus of the site, the wider landscape has been less well explored. With this project, we hope to uncover more information about the history of the landscape around the castle, focusing on the potential for Roman activity and of the land management and use of the area close to the River Rother over time.
We are delighted to be partnering with the Institute of Archaeology, University College London and Archaeology South-East, with support from the Hastings Area Archaeological Research Group and the Wealden Archaeology Group. We are digging at Bodiam with a team including students from University College London and National Trust volunteers, many of whom have honed their skills over the years working on archaeological projects at Knole and Smallhythe.
Funding to support the project has been gratefully received from the Medieval Settlement Research Group, the Roman Society, the Roman Research Trust, Medieval Archaeology Society, the Royal Archaeological Institute, the Society of Antiquaries and the Council for British Archaeology South-East.
What's on in Summer 2026
We're gearing up for the third year of digging into the past with UCL and Archaeology South-East. Over three weeks, uncover the castle’s hidden history through tours, expert talks, and more! Events now open for booking:
Dokes Dig
28, 29 & 30 July | 10:30 - 15:30
Join the National Trust archaeology team at Dokes field to have a go at archaeology.
Dig site tours
6, 7, 8, 13, 14, 15, 20, 21 & 22 Aug | 11am–12pm | £8 adult / £4 child
Join a tour of the archaeological dig with a National Trust archaeology team member. Book now.
After hours graffiti tour at Bodiam Castle
11 & 13 Aug | 18:30 - 20:00 | £12pp
Join in with leading medieval graffiti expert and author Matthew Champion for an after-hours historical graffiti tour around the castle.
Pilgrim badge replica maker at Bodiam Castle
22 & 23 Aug | 10am-4pm | Free with admission
Pilgrim badges were the original mass-produced tourist souvenir: Learn how they were made and watch live demonstrations of badge casting throughout the day.
Hands on History finds display at Bodiam Castle
16 Aug | 10am-4pm | Free with admission
Six mudlarks from London will display hundreds of artefacts recovered from the River Thames, ranging from prehistoric to modern times. This is your chance to meet the mudlarks and hear the fascinating stories about the historic objects.
We’ll be adding more events as they are confirmed, so please check back soon.
Summer 2025
During this season we opened a further eight trenches in Dokes Field and Freren Mead, and in the Castle Parkland.
The most significant results came from the trenches south of the river, which provided confirmation of the location of a regionally significant site at Bodiam associated with the Roman Fleet (the Classis Britannica). Notable finds included a substantial assemblage of pottery (domestic and imported, including a sherd from a rare face pot and a late 4th / early 5th century figurative sherd), building material (including fragments bearing stamps of the Classis Britannica), two coins, ironworking debris, animal bone and a fragment of a pipeclay figurine of the goddess Venus. Part of the river channel was investigated, with the earliest channel deposits producing an Early to Middle Bronze Age date. In Dokes Mead a stretch of Roman Road was excavated and recorded, confirming the alignment seen during last year’s work on the site. A boundary ditch/gully was encountered in a trench in the grounds of the castle, demonstrating occupation of a tenement plot fronting the street to the west of the castle from at least the 14th century onwards.
A huge thank you to our dedicated volunteers, students and colleagues from the Institute of Archaeology UCL, the staff from Archaeology South-East, and the property team for their unwavering support on-site and warm welcome.
Summer 2024
During the summer, our team spent three weeks exploring eight trenches to the north and south of Bodiam Castle. We had the privilege of interacting with thousands of curious visitors during this time and the enjoyable experience of camping on-site.
Our discoveries ranged from remains of the 20th-century hop gardens and 19th-century land drainage systems to medieval lynchets, an Iron Age/Roman routeway, and buried prehistoric deposits. While artefacts were few, we made several notable finds including fragments of late Iron Age / Roman ceramics, a nail, and a single sherd of 9th-10th century pottery.
This season provided a wonderful opportunity to evaluate previously unexcavated areas. A huge thank you to our dedicated volunteers, students and colleagues from the Institute of Archaeology UCL, the staff from Archaeology South-East, and the property team for their unwavering support on-site and warm welcome. We were also pleased to be joined by PCSO Daryl Holter, who had a display to educate visitors about heritage crime.
Archaeological Evaluation Report
This report details the results of the archaeological evaluation trial trenching undertaken during July and August 2025.
History of Bodiam Castle
Discover the history of Bodiam Castle. Find out who built it, its royal connections and what historic graffiti can tell us about the castle’s past.
The grounds of Bodiam Castle
Discover what to see and do in the grounds of Bodiam Castle. Take a riverside walk, stop for a picnic or look for wildlife – from rare bees to bats.
The Keys to the Castle project
This 2-year project, assisted by a grant from The National Lottery Heritage Fund, aims to harness the unique magic of a fairy tale castle to inspire more people to connect with historic places. Our vision is to unlock Bodiam Castle's potential, bringing to life the medieval castle to create a fun and memorable family day out.