Pevensey Castle has been fortified since Roman times. The current fortifications consist of the remains of the Roman curtain wall, a medieval Keep and Bailey and WWII pillboxes positioned in the ruins of both the former. It the structure survived 4 seiges and luckily for us didn't face a fifth.
The area was designated a fortress in July 1940 as it was close to a prime landing beach for German forces invading the UK mainland. Construction of the pillboxes began immediately. The pillboxes are a fantastic example of using the natural materials of the old castle to create almost perfect camoflage. Unfortunately none of the surviving pillboxes are acessible as most are perched high on the crumbling ramparts of the roman wall and medieval keep. These are all thought to have been for medium machinguns such as the Vickers.
On with the pics
The first pillbox is atop the Roman wall to the left of the entrance to the castle facing east. DoB S0001510
From within the keep you can see a side embrasure in this pillbox facing south.
The second pillbox is first viewed from within the Bailey and is high up on the Keep this is the southern facing embrasure. DoB S0001512
The other embrasure faces east out of the Keep.
Directly below the Keep is a third large pillbox DoB S0016913 with 3 embrasures facing east. These are the northern two
This is the southern embrasure of the large pillbox and the pic also shows a fourth pillbox perched just above it also facing east. This may be part of the other pillbox but seemed seperate to me.
This image shows the roof of the large pillbox viewed from in front of the Keep looking south east.
On the northern curtain wall are a further three pillboxes. The northern one is DoB S0001511 pictured above built into a bastion facing north.
A closer view of the embrasure showing the effort to break up the outline.
The next one is a hundred yards to the south west and sits low in a large gap in the Roman wall DoB S0001509. The gap was filled with anti tank blocks which have now been removed. It faces north west.
The last one I found is built into the end of a section of the Roman wall a hundred yards south west of the previous one DoB S0001507. It faces south west down the road.
The entrances to all these pillboxes are not apparent, I'd love to see inside but all the embrasures are also blocked. I missed one pillbox which was in an inaccessible part of the grounds to the south of the Roman western gate which is excellently camoflaged as a pile of rubble (DoB S0001506).
The troops that garrisoned the fort lived on site and the rooms in the towers of the Bailey have been extensively modified to accomodate them. Later in the war American troops were stationed here too.
A last view of the Bailey from the south west.
I'd recommend a mooch around this place if you're in the area.
Cheers
Steve
The area was designated a fortress in July 1940 as it was close to a prime landing beach for German forces invading the UK mainland. Construction of the pillboxes began immediately. The pillboxes are a fantastic example of using the natural materials of the old castle to create almost perfect camoflage. Unfortunately none of the surviving pillboxes are acessible as most are perched high on the crumbling ramparts of the roman wall and medieval keep. These are all thought to have been for medium machinguns such as the Vickers.
On with the pics
The first pillbox is atop the Roman wall to the left of the entrance to the castle facing east. DoB S0001510
From within the keep you can see a side embrasure in this pillbox facing south.
The second pillbox is first viewed from within the Bailey and is high up on the Keep this is the southern facing embrasure. DoB S0001512
The other embrasure faces east out of the Keep.
Directly below the Keep is a third large pillbox DoB S0016913 with 3 embrasures facing east. These are the northern two
This is the southern embrasure of the large pillbox and the pic also shows a fourth pillbox perched just above it also facing east. This may be part of the other pillbox but seemed seperate to me.
This image shows the roof of the large pillbox viewed from in front of the Keep looking south east.
On the northern curtain wall are a further three pillboxes. The northern one is DoB S0001511 pictured above built into a bastion facing north.
A closer view of the embrasure showing the effort to break up the outline.
The next one is a hundred yards to the south west and sits low in a large gap in the Roman wall DoB S0001509. The gap was filled with anti tank blocks which have now been removed. It faces north west.
The last one I found is built into the end of a section of the Roman wall a hundred yards south west of the previous one DoB S0001507. It faces south west down the road.
The entrances to all these pillboxes are not apparent, I'd love to see inside but all the embrasures are also blocked. I missed one pillbox which was in an inaccessible part of the grounds to the south of the Roman western gate which is excellently camoflaged as a pile of rubble (DoB S0001506).
The troops that garrisoned the fort lived on site and the rooms in the towers of the Bailey have been extensively modified to accomodate them. Later in the war American troops were stationed here too.
A last view of the Bailey from the south west.
I'd recommend a mooch around this place if you're in the area.
Cheers
Steve
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