A few miles east of Eastbourne, Pevensey and Pevensey Bay pack an extraordinary amount of history into a small stretch of Sussex coast. This is where William the Conqueror landed in 1066, where a Roman fort became a Norman castle, and where a gentle shingle beach now backs onto one of England’s great wetland wildernesses. Here’s our guide.
Where 1066 began
Pevensey holds a unique place in English history. Before dawn on 28 September 1066 — just three days after King Harold’s victory at Stamford Bridge — William, Duke of Normandy, sailed his invading fleet of around 700 ships into the sheltered Bay of Pevensey. Finding no defenders, his army landed safely, threw up a temporary fortification within the walls of the old Roman fort, and the very next day marched along the coast to Hastings. William’s victory at the Battle of Hastings on 14 October and his coronation as King of England changed the course of the nation — and it all began on this quiet stretch of Sussex shingle.
Pevensey Castle
Dominating the village is Pevensey Castle, now cared for by English Heritage. Its story spans nearly two thousand years: it began as the Roman Saxon Shore fort of Anderitum, built around AD 290 on what was then a peninsula surrounded on three sides by the sea. After the Conquest, William’s half-brother Robert, Count of Mortain, was granted the site and used the massive Roman walls as the base for a Norman castle, adding an inner bailey at the eastern end. Besieged repeatedly over the following centuries, it even survived orders to demolish it under Elizabeth I, and was pressed back into service as part of Britain’s coastal defences in the Second World War. Today you can explore the ruined walls, the medieval gatehouse and the dungeon. In the village itself, don’t miss the Grade I St Nicolas Church and the fascinating Pevensey Court House Museum — a courthouse and gaol since Tudor times, complete with a copy of part of the Bayeux Tapestry.
Did you know? William’s choice of Pevensey may have carried a message as well as military logic: by planting his fortress within a Roman fort, he implied the Normans were the equals of the Romans — the same trick he later used building the Tower of London beside the old Roman city wall.
The beach and the Martello towers
A mile south of the village, Pevensey Bay is a seaside resort in miniature — a wide, pebbled beach set in a gentle bay with views along the coast towards Hastings, lovely for a swim, a picnic or fish and chips by the water. That shingle does a vital job, too, forming a natural sea wall that protects the low-lying land behind from flooding. Set back from the shore stand two Martello towers, squat brick forts built in 1806 as part of the chain of Napoleonic coastal defences that once stretched all the way to Hastings — cousins of Eastbourne’s own Wish Tower. In quieter centuries this was smuggling country, one of the easiest places on the coast to land contraband, and in 1833 the beach saw a violent clash between smugglers and customs men.
The Pevensey Levels and 1066 Country Walk
Inland stretch the Pevensey Levels, a vast, flat expanse of grazing marsh that was once the tidal lagoon William’s fleet sailed into. Now a Site of Special Scientific Interest and nature reserve, it’s home to nationally rare plants and creatures, including the elusive fen raft spider. The marshes are fragile and general access is limited, but you can experience their wild, remote atmosphere along the byways and the 1066 Country Walk — a long-distance footpath that begins at Pevensey Castle and heads on through Herstmonceux, Battle and medieval Winchelsea to historic Rye.
Good to know: the Pevensey Levels are a delicate protected habitat with restricted access, and the marshes flood in winter — please keep to the byways and marked paths. Castle and museum opening hours and admission also change seasonally, so check the English Heritage website before you visit.
Getting there
Pevensey sits about five miles north-east of Eastbourne, reached via the A259 or the A27. There are two handy railway stations on the Eastbourne–Hastings line — Pevensey & Westham (for the castle and village) and Pevensey Bay Halt (for the beach) — plus local bus services; see our guide to getting around Eastbourne. The castle grounds are free to wander, with a charge to enter the inner castle and keep.
Pevensey Bay: FAQs
Where is Pevensey Bay?
Pevensey Bay is a small seaside village on the East Sussex coast, about five miles north-east of Eastbourne. It forms part of the parish of Pevensey, whose main village lies about a mile inland around Pevensey Castle.
Is Pevensey where William the Conqueror landed?
Yes — William, Duke of Normandy, landed his invading fleet in the Bay of Pevensey on 28 September 1066, sheltering within the old Roman fort before marching to Hastings. It’s the spot where the Norman Conquest of England began.
Can you visit Pevensey Castle?
Yes, Pevensey Castle is cared for by English Heritage and open to visitors. You can walk the grounds for free and pay to explore the inner castle, gatehouse and dungeon. Check current opening times and admission before you go.
Is Pevensey Bay beach good?
It’s a wide, quiet shingle beach set in a gentle bay, good for swimming, picnics and beach walks, with views towards Hastings. It’s much less busy than Eastbourne’s seafront, and there’s fish and chips to enjoy by the water.
Discover more local history: read the history of Eastbourne, the Wish Tower & Redoubt, and take a day trip to Hastings.