Battle, East Sussex

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Map sources for Battle, East Sussex at grid reference TQ7416

View along the high street towards the abbey.

Battle is a small town in East Sussex, England, about 5 miles (8 km) from Hastings, and the site of the Battle of Hastings, where William, Duke of Normandy, defeated King Harold II to become William I in 1066.

Battle Abbey takes its name from the town, founded to commemorate the battle, and dedicated in 1095. The high altar of the Abbey church was reputedly on the spot where Harold died. The Abbey gateway is still the dominant feature of the south end of the main street, although little remains of the rest of the Abbey buildings. The remaining cloisters, part of the west range, were leased to Battle Abbey School shortly after the first world war, and the school remains in occupancy to this day. Although referred to as 'Battle Abbey', it is actually named 'St Martin's Abbey'.

The town of Battle was gradually built around the Abbey, and later developed a reputation for the best gunpowder in the whole of England, produced in Powdermill Lane. The gunpowder works is no more, but the remains can be seen in Powdermill Lane, after the Duke of Cleveland refused to renew the license in 1847 after many mishaps, including one occasion in 1798 on which more than 15 tonnes of gunpowder was left in the oven for too long and exploded. Battle is still renowned to this day for its Fireworks Night procession and celebration. The importance of Bonfire Night in Battle is because it is located in the wooded Weald of Sussex. Most of the area was heavily wooded, which provided oak and other timbers for Navy Shipyards, power for making cannons (shipped to Portsmouth or Chatham), cannon balls and, of course gunpowder. In the mid 1700's, Battle once supported five watchmakers in the High Street. For more, see Guy Fawkes Night. Battle is a very popular tourist destination because of its exciting history.

Battle also was a refuge in World War I, and tunnels still exist, leading from various fields and cellars to Battle Abbey itself. However, they are deemed unsafe and are now closed.

The band Keane hails from Battle.