Bodiam

Infobox UK place
official_name=Bodiam
country=England
region=South East England
static_

static_image_caption=
area_footnotes=cite web |url=http://www.eastsussexinfigures.org.uk/webview/ |title=East Sussex in Figures |accessdate=2008-04-26 |publisher=East Sussex County Council]
area_total_km2 =6.5
population=391 (Parish-2007)
population_density= Pop density mi2 to km2|156|precision=0|abbr=yes
os_grid_reference=TQ783254
latitude=51.00
longitude=0.54
post_town=ROBERTSBRIDGE
postcode_area=TN
postcode_district=TN32
dial_code=01580
constituency_westminster=Bexhill and Battle
london_distance=convert|45|mi NW
shire_district=Rother
shire_county=East Sussex

Bodiam is a small village and civil parish [ [http://homepages.gold.ac.uk/genuki/SSX/Bodiam/ParishMap.php Map of parish boundaries] ] 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.

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, [ [http://www.british-history.ac.uk/report.aspx?compid=63901 St. Hilda's College, A History of the County of Oxford, Vol. 3, H. E. Salter and Mary D. Lobel, Victoria County History, 1954, British History Online, british-history.ac.uk] ] having been awarded a chair in history at Westfield College, University of London in 1929.

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