Eynsford Castle — Attraction in Sevenoaks

Eynsford Castle is a ruined medieval fortification in Eynsford, Kent. It was built on the site of an earlier Anglo-Saxon stone burh, a fortified residence, which was very rare for its time. The castle was constructed by William de Enysford, probably between 1085 and 1087, to protect the lands of Lanfranc, the Archbishop of Canterbury, from Odo, the Bishop of Bayeux, who was a powerful Norman lord and half-brother of William the Conqueror. The castle consisted of an inner and an outer bailey, surrounded by a stone curtain wall. In 1130, the defences were improved and a large stone hall was built in the inner bailey. The de Enysford family held the castle until 1261, when it was divided between two other families, the Heringauds and the de Criols. A dispute over the ownership of the castle led to an act of vandalism in 1312, when Nicholas de Criol attacked and damaged the castle. The castle was never repaired or reoccupied, and fell into ruins. In the 18th century, it was used to house hunting kennels and stables. The ruins were restored in the 20th century, and are now managed by English Heritage and open to visitors. Eynsford Castle is a rare example of an early Norman enclosure castle, which had no keep or motte, and is one of the oldest stone castles in...

This Norman castle is very well looked after.

It was built on the site of an earlier Saxon building. The impressive curtain wall was built between 1085-87, probably by William de Eynsford I, a knight and sheriff of Kent. The defences were further strengthened in the late 11th or early 12th century and a hall and associated buildings were erected inside the castle walls.

In 1261 Eynsford castle and estate were divided between the Kirkeby and Criol families, causing much dispute. The conflict reached a climax in 1312 when Nicholas de Criol and his supporters broke in and vandalised Eynsford Castle as a protest against Judge William Inge who had bought the castle from the Kirkeby family. The castle was abandoned soon after.

Eventually the castle passed into the ownership of the Hart Dyke family of nearby Lullingstone Castle and by the mid 18th century the castle was used as stables and kennells for hunting hounds.

Entry to the ruins is free.

The car park just outside of the entrance to the ruins, not so big though, but also free.

There are no toilet facilities there.

If you are hungry, there is the nice cafe nearby called 'Riverside tea room'. Can be very busy though, so expect some waiting time.

We have really enjoyed our visit there and definitely...

A surprisingly impressive castle ruin that's unexpectedly located just off the main street in the picturesque village of Eynsford. The castle is a rare survival of a walled "enclosure" design from the Norman period, dating back to the late 11th century. It met its demise following an argument around inheritance, which saw the castle vandalised in the early 14th century. By the 18th century the castle was in such a poor state of repair that it was serving as stables and kennels. Despite this, a significant proportion of the defensive walls still stand at their original height, providing an impressive spectacle for visitors. English Heritage takes good care of the site, maintaining the wooden footbridge that provides access to the inner parts of the castle. Information boards are situated around the site so visitors can learn more about its history while exploring. There's free onsite parking for visitors to the castle, and no charge for entry. I had no problem finding a space when I visited on a sunny weekend in May. There are no facilities at the castle, but it's only a short walk from the village which has a café,...