Bodiam

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Bodiam
Bodiam shown within East Sussex
Area^[1]	2.5 sq mi (6.5 km²)
Population	391 (Parish-2007)^[1]
- Density	156/sq mi (60/km²)
OS grid reference	TQ783254
- London	45 miles (72 km) NW
District	Rother
Shire county	East Sussex
Region	South East
Constituent country	England
Sovereign state	United Kingdom
Post town	ROBERTSBRIDGE
Postcode district	TN32
Dialling code	01580
Police	Sussex
Fire	East Sussex
Ambulance	South East Coast
European Parliament	South East England
UK Parliament	Bexhill and Battle
List of places: UK • England • East Sussex

Coordinates: 51°00′N 0°32′E / 51, 0.54

Bodiam is a small village and civil parish^[2] in East Sussex, England in the valley of the River Rother near to the Sussex villages of Sandhurst and Ewhurst Green. It is home to Bodiam Castle, a small range of houses, a pub (called The Castle) opposite Bodiam Castle, and a restaurant (called The Curlew). It has two schools. Bodiam Primary School - a state school, and Bodiam Manor School - an independent preparatory school. There is also a 12th century church, which contains a brass of a knight with the arms of the de Bodeham family, one of the first lords of the manor. The name Bodiam, which appears in the Domesday Book, derives from the Welsh word 'bod,' a dwelling, combined with the Saxon 'ham,' meaning village.

Bodiam Castle

Originally it was a port and crossing point from Battle to North Kent. During medieval England a great moated castle was built and is now a popular visitor attraction. Although famous for its castle, Bodiam was also a main hop growing area in the last century and was famous for growing hops for Guinness. Reginald B. Levett of Court Lodge Farm would sell part of his land to Guinness to grow hops. A railway was built to provide transport for the hoppers, the Kent and East Sussex Railway, which is now a tourist attraction along with the castle.

Bodiam was the birthplace in 1881 of Miss A. E. (Ada Elizabeth) Levett, a leading medieval scholar and vice-principal of St. Hilda's College, Oxford. Levett was one of the first female professors of history in England,^{[citation needed]} having later been given a chair in history at the University of London in 1929.