Probably the most historic and significant of all the Norman castles in England, Hastings Castle represents both the political and cultural change of England after William the Conqueror became the first Norman King of England.

The castle was one of the first Norman keeps to secure the south coast after William landed in 1066. It was built as a motte-and-bailey, elevated above the sea to secure the local area and give William a fortified base. After the famous Battle of Hastings in October 1066, when the Norman duke was victorious over the Anglo-Saxon king Harold, the Norman conquest began and William ordered Hastings Castle to be rebuilt in stone.

In 1287, storms hit the south coast of England and parts of the sandstone cliff gave way taking large sections of the castle with them. Then the town was attacked by the French in both 1339 and 1377, leaving buildings destroyed including parts of the castle. Over the next century, erosion and weather took their toll, and the ruins became so overgrown they were unrecognisable. The land was purchased for farming in 1591 and the castle was left and forgotten until around the 1824 when an archaeological investigation was commissioned by the new land owner, the Earl of Chichester. During this investigation, the castle was partially rebuilt using the stone blocks found lying within the ruins.

Now owned by the Hastings Corporation, the castle was converted and opened as a tourist attraction. It is part of the 1066 story and smugglers adventures story.

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