Just outside the village of Forest Row in East Sussex stands one of Britain’s most poignant ruins – Brambletye House, also known locally as Brambletye Castle.
The crumbling Jacobean masterpiece, built in the 17th Century, has inspired curiosity, speculation, and local folklore for more than 300 years.
It was commissioned by Sir Henry Compton, a prominent landowner and political figure, and would have been one of the most impressive residences in Sussex at the time. However, the Compton family’s time at the manor was short-lived as by the late 17th Century they had left the property – for reasons unknown.
“That’s part of the mystery of Brambletye House, and I think one of the things that makes it so interesting,” historian Garen Ewing told Secret Sussex.