What happened at this place in 1066 changed the course of English history. Today’s Battle celebrates that past, centred around a High Street that has barely changed in hundreds of years
The gatehouse of Battle Abbey dominates the southern end of the High Street. After making a promise that if he won the battle for England in 1066, he would build a monastery, William the Conqueror finally got round to it in 1070. The circle of cobblestones, seen here on on Abbey Green, is the ancient bullring, where the ‘sport’ of bull-baiting took place in medieval times. It is now used as the spot for the annual bonfire night celebrations.
Lying just outside the Abbey gates, The Pilgrim’s Rest is a half-timbered Wealden hall house originally built in the 15th century as a guest house for visitors to the Abbey. It is now available for hire as a wedding venue.
The bustling High Street is one of Battle’s main attractions for outsiders and locals alike. Independent shops, coffee houses and restaurants, as well as local shopping facilities like a fishmonger, a brewery and a farm shop can all be found here.
This is thought to have once been the oldest ironmongers in the country, which started operating in 1680. It has the oldest shopfront in Battle, built in the 18th century.
In 1685 there was a devastating fire in the abbey kitchen and the building had to be demolished. The stones that were recovered were sold for four shillings (20p) a cartload and many were used to build The Bull Inn in 1688.
The High Street building on the left here dates from the 1600s while the one on the right was built in the early 1800s. Both are Grade II Listed.
Carved from a local tree in 1795, this head of an effigy of Guy Fawkes is the oldest in the world. For most of the year, you can see him in the local museum, but on bonfire night he is paraded in the High Street before the head is detached and his body is burnt in the fire.
This object in the local museum has been confirmed as the head of a Saxon battle axe, found near the top of Marley Lane in 1951 although it cannot be confirmed as having been used in the actual battle of 1066. In fact, not one single piece of archaeological evidence for a battle has ever been found in or around Battle Abbey or Senlac Hill. Of course, that doesn’t mean there isn’t anything there; a lot has happened on that land in the last thousand years.
A crucial transport hub for the town, linking the town with London Charing Cross and Hastings, Battle Station is a beautiful example of a Gothic Revival small station. It was designed by William Tress and opened in 1852. English Heritage have put it in the top ten of Britain’s Greatest Railway Stations.
At the start of the battle on 14th October 1066, according to legend, William of Normandy sent his minstrel, a man called Taillefer, out into the field on horseback to taunt the English army, as a way of testing their defences. The story goes that he sang songs and performed tricks with his sword. An English soldier came out to confront him and was killed. Taillefer then charged the English line alone, killing a couple of men before being cut down. This 2016 sculpture by Guy Portelli on the edge of town depicts that tale.
Following Mount Street north out of town, you come across Kings Mead Windmill on Caldbec Hill, now a five bedroom detached house. It was built on the site where King Harold supposedly assembled his armies before the march down to Senlac Hill where the Abbey now stands.
‘What’s great about Battle is the people, and the community. It’s just so different here, absolutely beautiful. There’s something for everybody; whether you just want to come for a coffee, or a nice walk, or whether you’re interested in history. You’ve got the church, the museum, the Abbey, loads of really nice little coffee shops, some really good places to eat, and some lovely small, independent shops.’
‘I’ve lived here for more than 30 years and, for me, it’s the town, the history and the convenience of it all. We’re close to the sea, we’re just 1hr and 20 minutes from central London. We have a very active community here, lots of organisations and groups covering pretty much everything. In terms of venues, we’ve got a very thriving Memorial Hall, which has film shows, local amateur productions and sometimes professional touring productions.’
