Built in 1385 in East Sussex, Bodiam Castle is one of the most famous fortresses in England. He is known for his enchanting, mythical appearance and for his symbolic display of fortune and authority. Today, although partly in ruins and decay, it is still renowned for its magnificent beauty. Now owned by the National Trust, Bodiam was founded by Sir Edward Dallingridge, a well-known knight and one of the leading citizens of the county of Sussex. Bodiam Castle is a representation of the social, political and stylistic ideals of 14th century England. Dallingridge was a man very concerned about his rank and position. He was a war hero, Knight of the County of Sussex and owned the manor of Bodiam. “…he married the heiress of Bodiam Manor, Elizabeth Wardeux, from whom he derived property – both classic methods of self-improvement at the time” (Fraser 62). He built the castle with several goals in mind, one being to draw attention to its importance in society. He received permission from King Richard II to protect his lands against the threat of French invasion. Instead of strengthening the current ramparts of his manor, Dallingridge used the license to erect a completely new castle near his home. “The granting of such a license proved that the monarch recognized the place of a lord in medieval society and that the recipient had achieved sufficient wealth to erect a castle” (Hull 64). Dallingridge, very selfish, used the opportunity to promote his self-worth. “He was a very successful soldier and when he returned from the wars in France, loaded with plunder, he felt the need to announce his local status with a castle” (Vanderwyk). Although it contains military attributes, the extravagance of Bodiam Castle was achieved in the middle of paper....... Through this piece of architecture, Bodiam Castle, a brief overview of the history medieval is presented as well as a better understanding of life in 14th century England. Works Cited “Château de Bodiam”. HubPages. HubPages Inc. and Web. October 27, 2011. Fraser, Antonia. “Castles in the air. » History Today 49.2 (1999): 62. ProQuest Research Library. Internet. October 29, 2011. Hull, Lise. “Changing Designs of English Castles.” MHQ: The Quarterly Journal of Military History 20.4 (2008): 64-75.7. ProQuest Research Library. Internet. October 29, 2011. Saul, Nigel. “Bodiam Castle.” History Today 45.1 (1995): 16-21. Center for History Studies. Internet. September 16, 2011. Turner, Charles. “The Castles of Old England”. The Monthly Illustrator 4.12 (1895): 26-32. JSTOR. Internet. October 27, 2011. Vanderwyk, Jack. “Bodiam Castle.” French and English Riviera. Np, July 1, 2011. Web. October 29. 2011.