The 1066 Battle Abbey and Battlefield

14 October 1066: the most famous date in British history. The Saxons under King Harold fought against the invading Normans under William the Bastard, who won and subsequently styled himself 'William the Conqueror'.

Battle near Hastings in East Sussex is the place where the decisive 'Battle of Hastings' took place. The town took its name after the event.




WHAT YOU WILL SEE:

Frankly, ...
...left of a battlefield once the human and animal scavengers have picked over it. No bits of armour lying around, nothing. There isn't even a building dating back to 1066, because there was nothing there in that year. Just wide, open landscape, hilly and marshy.

The ruins date from later years. William the Bastard (like most locals, I'm firmly on the side of the defenders), in gratitude for his victory, sponsored an abbey for Benedictine ... more

14 October 1066: the most famous date in British history. The Saxons under King Harold fought against the invading Normans under William the Bastard, who won and subsequently styled himself 'William the Conqueror'.

Battle near Hastings in East Sussex is the place where the decisive 'Battle of Hastings' took place. The town took its name after the event.

WHAT YOU WILL SEE:

Frankly, you won't see a lot. After all, there isn't much left of a battlefield once the human and animal scavengers have picked over it. No bits of armour lying around, nothing. There isn't even a building dating back to 1066, because there was nothing there in that year. Just wide, open landscape, hilly and marshy.

The ruins date from later years. William the Bastard (like most locals, I'm firmly on the side of the defenders), in gratitude for his victory, sponsored an abbey for Benedictine monks. The tiny abbey gradually grew over the centuries, and the ruins stem from those. Very picturesque ruins they are, but definitely much post-1066.

You'll also see some much later ruins, a school building on the grounds and a lovely landscape, and you have the opportunity to stand on the precise spot where the gallant King Harold fell.

There are also some indoors exhibits and a video show.

TAKING THE AUDIO TOUR:

Now this is where it gets interesting. When you buy your ticket, you'll be offered a free audio-tour, with one of those personal stereo thingies to carry around. Take it!

The interactive audio tour is the best aspect of the site, and it brings the events to live. Not only can you choose between an English, a French and a German version, a long version or a short one, but you can select your "guide".

Do you want the story to be told by the Saxon soldier Aelfric, who fights under King Harold? Or do you prefer the Norman version of events, with the knight Henri championing the cause of William and his invadors? Or perhaps you like the female perspective, sharing the experience of Harold's faithful mistress, Edith Swanneck.

Better still, you can switch from one commentator to another, comparing Henri's, Aelfric's and Edith's views - if you have the time, that is.

WHEN TO GO THERE:

Battle Abbey is open to visitors all year round, although it closes on Christmas Day, Boxing Day and New Year's Day. From April to September it opens 10am-6pm, for the rest of the year, 10am-4pm.

I suggest you allow three hours for your visit. It's nicest on a sunny day at any time of the year, even in winter, as long as you're warmly wrapped up. I don't recommend a visit when it's raining, though, because most of what you'll see is outdoors, and some of the paths are slippery when wet.

If it's sunny and dry, I suggest you take a picnic lunch. The site has benches with lovely views, as well as meadows and lawns where you can spread out your rugs. There are very few refreshments on sale (on one visit I remember a choice between strawberry ice cream, strawberry ice cream, and strawberry ice cream), so bring your own, or buy them in the shops in the nearby Battle High Street.

Sometimes English Heritage organises special events. These vary greatly in theme and quality. I remember a reenactment of the English Civil war with lots of pikemen and gunpowder, a spectacular affair lasting all day, very educational and impressive.

On the other hand, an event dedicated to the cavalry during the ages was a disappointment. Somehow the posters and advertising had led me to expect cavalries with lots of horses, riders and simulated fights, but each period was represented by just one horse and rider, who then changed costume and reappeared. Still, I learnt quite a bit about the use of warhorses and lances. I'm not sure if it was worth the much increased admission charge, though.

Special events take place several times during the year. They usually include reenactments of the 1066 battle (of course), as well as medieval and other periods, and open air performances of Shakespeare plays.

Consider carefully if you want to visit when a special event is on: You won't be able to stroll freely around the site, and the audio tour is not available. Personally, I think the audio tour is the best feature at Battle Abbey, so it's worth paying your first visit on a 'normal' day.

WHAT IT COSTS:

Unfortunately, English Heritage has raised the fees considerably over the years. Adults pay £5, children £2.50. Some concessions and group discounts are available. If you're a member of English Heritage (i.e. pay their annual fee) you can get in free -but not when a special event is on.

During special events there's also a much higher admission charge.

HOW TO GET THERE:

Parking can be a real problem. English Heritage has its own car park, but on summer weekends this is often full. Parking in the town is scarce, especially since the public car park near Battle Abbey has been turned into a pedestrian space, and other tourist attractions without car parks have opened nearby.

Getting to Battle by train is no problem, since there are frequent trains between London Charing Cross and Hastings. However, the line is often riddled with typical problems leading to train cancellations. I remember how, after a reenactment event, there were lots of costumed warriors and visitors freezing for hours at the railway station, because all the trains had been cancelled. Awful!

Furthermore, the railway station is not in the centre of the town, and you'll have to walk quite a bit.

However, if you are already in Battle, the Abbey is easy to find. It's right in the centre of town.

FOR DISABLED VISITORS:

I hesitate to recommend Battle Abbey to visitors with physical disabilities. Many paths are 'lumpy and bumpy' as well as narrow and often slippery; and the major exhibition room is upstairs in the remaining abbey building. Although there's a special entrance for wheelchair-users, I fear that the limited areas they can access may not be worth it.

TOILETS:

Be warned. The toilets are outside the site (visit them before you go in), and in summer they can be crowded, dirty, and attracting long queues. One of them is equipped for disabled users.

STRANGE, BUT I SWEAR ITS TRUE:

I used to teach advanced bellydance summer schools at Pyke House, a residential college in Battle. They owned part of the battlefield, adjoining the Battle Abbey site. We often danced in the garden, right in the section where the Saxon archers stood!

If you're a student at Pyke House, you're permitted free access to the Battle Abbey site, but alas, you won't get the audio tour.

WHAT ELSE TO VISIT WHILE YOU'RE IN BATTLE

Close to the Abbey is Buckley's Yesterday's World, a much publicised museum of Victorian shops and such. Personally, I think it's a rip-off. The displays rooms are quite small, some of the exhibits aren't working (at least they weren't when I visited), the air is stuffy, and the crowds make the place claustrophobic. Admission prices are steep and in my opinion not worth it. They have a nice gift shop though, where I've often done my giftshopping. It's much more interesting than the one at the Abbey.

On the other end of the High Street you'll find the Battle Museum, which is small but nice, with a modest admission charge.

Battle has several cosy tea rooms and restaurants. My favourite in winter is the Pilgrim's Rest, a half-timbered building close to the Abbey, dating from about the same time, very picturesque, with a huge fireplace inside, but rather high prices. In summer I like sitting in the courtyard of The Almonry (near Battle Museum), a lovely, medieval, windsheltered outdoors space. It's closed in winter.

You can also visit The Almonry Gardens, which are open in summer only, a really lovely relaxing place where I often sit to watch the flowers and birds. It's barely signposted, not promoted, and you may have to ask locals to reveal the secret of where it is (tip: close to Battle Museum).

WHAT REALLY HAPPENED:

Quoting from the English Heritage site:
>It was at about nine in the morning of 14th October 1066, to the sound of trumpets, that William, Duke of Normandy, launched his first attack on King Harold and the Saxon army, positioned at the top of Senlac Ridge, where Battle Abbey stands today.
With the Saxons having the advantage of higher ground, the Norman advance slowed. The Normans turned to re-group giving the impression of retreat and panic started when a rumour spread that William had been killed. Risking his life, William lifted his helmet and rode through his troops.
Fearing that his troops would again be driven further into the marshy area, William decided that his knights on horses should lead the next charge against the Saxon wall of shields. During this vigorous counter attack many Saxons were cut down.
Although William had lead a counter attack using his cavalry, the Saxons fighting on foot stood their ground with their defence of shields as strong as ever. The battle seemed to be stalled, with neither side being able to break through and drive the other side into retreat.
During the afternoon William and his Norman knights employed a classic military tactic of pretending to retreat in order to get the enemy to follow them. The knights then quickly turned round to encircle the pursuing Saxons. This was very successful and proved the turning point of the battle
The final phase of the battle came when William’s archers fired showers of arrows high over the Saxon front line, weakening the shield wall. Legend has it that one arrow wounded Harold in the eye. The Normans then launched infantry and cavalry attacks that broke though the Saxon line.
A Stone marks where Harold fell, mortally wounded, during the battle. As news of his death spread through the Saxon ranks, the army broke up and fled. By night fall, William and the Norman army had won a decisive victory.< 

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