Built in 1385 in East Sussex, Bodiam Castle is one of England's most famous fortresses. He is known for his enchanting, mythical appearance and his symbolic display of luck and authority. Today, although in partial ruin 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 with rank and position. He was a war hero, the Knight of the Earldom of Sussex, and owned the manor of Bodiam. “…married the heiress of Bodiam Manor, Elizabeth Wardeux, from whom he derived the estate: two classic methods of self-improvement of the time” (Fraser 62). He built the castle with several purposes in mind, one of which was to draw attention to its importance in society. He was given permission by King Richard II to protect his land from the threatened French invasion. Instead of reinforcing the existing ramparts of his manor, Dallingridge used the license to erect an entirely new castle near his home. “The granting of such a license demonstrated that the monarch recognized a lord's place in medieval society and that the honoree had achieved sufficient wealth to erect a castle” (Hull 64). Dallingridge, decidedly selfish, took the opportunity to promote his own self-esteem. “He was a very successful soldier and when he returned home from the wars in France, laden with plunder, he found the need to advertise his local status with a castle” (Vanderwyk). Although it contains military attributes, the extravagance of Bodiam Castle is been made for... half of the paper... hold. Through this piece of architecture, Bodiam Castle, a brief look at medieval history is depicted along with a better understanding of life during 14th century England. Works Cited "Bodiam Castle". HubPages Inc. and Web. 27 October 2011. Fraser, “Castles in the Air”. History Today 49.2 (1999): 62. ProQuest Research Library. Lise. "Changing conceptions of English castles." MHQ: The Military History Quarterly 20.4 (2008): 64-75.7. ProQuest Research Library. 29 October 2011.Saul, Nigel. History Today 45.1 (1995): 16-21. Historical Studies Center. 16 September 2011. Turner, Charles. "The Castles of Old England." The Monthly Illustrator 4.12 (1895): 26-32. JSTOR. Network. October 27, 2011.Vanderwyk, Jack. "Bodiam Castle." French and English Riviera. Np, 1 July 2011. Web. 29 October. 2011.