Battle

The birthplace of English history

This charming market town grew up around Battle Abbey and takes its name from the famous battle between England’s would be rulers William Duke of Normandy and the Saxon King Harold. On 14th October 1066, this area witnessed the most celebrated confrontation to take place on English soil – the Battle of Hastings, an event so significant it completely changed the course of English history.

Following the battle William the Conqueror built Battle Abbey – a penance ordered by the Pope for the loss of life incurred in the conflict. Today you can visit the famous English Heritage site 1066 Battle of Hastings, Abbey and Battlefield and experience the battle through dramatic film, audio tours, interactive exhibits and walking the battlefield. 

The town subsequently spread beyond the Abbey walls and today offers a diverse mix of attractions, galleries and restaurants waiting to be discovered and enjoyed.

Battle has a picturesque High Street, a wealth of intriguing architecture, ‘twittens’ (passageways) and squares. The Battle Town Trail, a self-guided tour, provides an interesting snapshot into the town’s history. Immediately to the west of the Abbey gates you will discover ‘Pilgrims Rest’ - erected in 1420 on the site of an original 12th Century building and now a restaurant. The Church of St Mary the Virgin stands to the east of the Abbey gates, with a Romanesque nave, a Norman font, rare 14th Century wall paintings and the gilded alabaster tomb of Sir Anthony Browne who was granted the Abbey by Henry VIII.

Towards the northern end of the High Street, the medieval Almonry and its Gardens, originally built in 1090, is now home to the Town Council and the Battle Museum of Local History – displays include the only battleaxe yet discovered from the Battle of Hastings site, famous engravings of the Bayeux tapestry and the oldest Guy Fawkes in the world. Battle was once home to one of the country’s largest and most successful gunpowder works which kept British ships loaded throughout the Napoleonic wars and most likely supplied the powder used in the Guy Fawkes plot. The Battle Bonfire Boyes celebrate the gunpowder plot each November with a spectacular fireworks display and march through the town.

Yesterdays World, opposite Battle Abbey takes you on a journey through 100 years of shopping and social history, experiencing the sights, smells and sounds of a bygone age including a Wartime Evacuee Display.

Battle has a wealth of quality independent shops and galleries and a great choice of top class restaurants – Nobles restaurant in the High Street featured in the prestigious Michelin Guide 2009. Cafes, bistros, pubs and tearooms are dotted around the town.

Discover beautiful gardens, including the Gold Award winning gardens set around the medieval Almonry. And the town has great walking and outdoor activities too with the 1066 Country Walk sweeping through the town on its way from Pevensey to Rye.