Motte and Bailey

The earthworks rise abruptly from the Sussex countryside near Henfield - two distinct mounds connected by a ditch, the physical remains of a Norman fortification from around 1066 onwards. This is a proper motte and bailey, the kind of defensive structure William the Conqueror's followers threw up across England to consolidate their grip on the newly conquered land. What strikes you first is how modest it all seems now, yet how formidable it must have looked to Anglo-Saxon villagers eight centuries ago.

You can walk right up to it. The motte itself - the larger, steeper mound - once held a wooden (later stone) keep. The bailey, the lower outer ward, would have housed soldiers, stables, stores. Today it's just grass and trees reclaiming what history abandoned, but for anyone interested in medieval military architecture or Norman England, it's genuinely worth the detour from Henfield.

Historians and archaeology enthusiasts will get the most from this. Children might find the climbing aspect amusing for ten minutes, but unless they're already keen on castles and fortifications, they'll likely lose interest fast. Allow thirty minutes including the walk-around.

It's free and accessible, though you'll want sturdy shoes - the mounds are steep enough to be proper climbing. The nearest caravan parks - Foot of the Downs is barely half a mile away, or Downsview Park at under two miles - make it an easy morning visit while based in the area. Best in spring or autumn when you can actually see the earthworks without fighting through overgrown vegetation.