Camber Castle

[Coast]

Camber Castle is one of Henry VIII's Device Forts, also known as Henrician Castles, built to protect the huge Rye anchorage. It is approximately 2 km south of Rye and 2 km northeast of Winchelsea.

Between 1512 and 1514 Sir Edward Guldeford built a circular tower to defend the harbour. This tower was incorporated into a new fort which was built between 1539 and 1544. It was expanded to become a highly symmetrical artillery fort. The original tower was augmented with four outer towers linked by an octagonal wall concealing a covered passage. Part of this construction was directed by Stefan von Haschenperg. Finally, four large D-shaped bastions serving as gun platforms were placed in front of the earlier towers. As the shoreline receded south the height of the central tower was raised in order to maintain the range of the castle's cannon.

However by the end of the 16th century the silting of the Camber made the castle largely obsolete and in 1637 it was disbanded. It is now owned by English Heritage after being taken over by the state in 1967.

http://en.wikipedia....i/Camber_Castle

Be warned if you are considering going here, it lies about a mile and a half off the main Rye Harbour road and the only way to get to the Castle is a trek across the marshes as there is no road or track leading to it.

It is also worth considering that due to Health and Safety concerns, Camber Castle is not open to visitors unless booked for a guided tour through http://www.wildrye.info/dates/