Anderida

Categories: Ancient Rome | Roman sites in England | Buildings and structures in East Sussex | Forts in the United Kingdom

Anderida is an ancient Roman fort at Pevensey, near Eastbourne in Sussex, England.

Anderida or Caer Andred was built about AD 300 as part of the Saxon Shore. It was repaired, probably by the great Roman General Stilicho, about AD 400. The fall of Anderida in 491 to invading Saxons under the command of King Ælle and the subsequent slaughter of its garrison was a turning point in the Romano-British defence of the south-east coast. Following it's demise the British inhabitants of the south-east fled northwards to the comparative safety of the impassable forests of the Coit Andred (also known as The Weald) or by boat for Armorica in northern Gaul. In their place King Ælle established the Kingdom of the South Saxons from which we get the modern name Sussex.

After the Norman Conquest, William the Conqueror utilized it for a Norman castle. It was later used as a defensive emplacement in World War II. Its massive Roman enceinte still stands but little damaged.