Battle, East Sussex

Infobox UK place
official_name=Battle
country=England
region=South East England
static_

static_image_caption=View along the high street towards the abbey
area_footnotes=cite web |url=http://www.eastsussexinfigures.org.uk/webview/ |title=East Sussex in Figures |accessdate=2008-04-26 |publisher=East Sussex County Council]
area_total_km2 =31.8
population=6171 (2007)
population_density= Pop density mi2 to km2|502.6|precision=1|abbr=yes
os_grid_reference=TQ747160
latitude=50.92
longitude=0.48
post_town=BATTLE
postcode_area=TN
postcode_district=TN33 0
dial_code=01424
constituency_westminster=Bexhill and Battle
london_distance=convert|48|mi NNW
shire_district=Rother
shire_county=East Sussex
website=http://www.battletowncouncil.org.uk/

Battle is a small town in the local government district of Rother 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. The population of the civil parish was 6,048 according to the 2001 census. Battle has two senior schools, Claverham and Battle Abbey.

The Abbey

Battle Abbey was 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 World War I, 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

The town of Battle was gradually built around the Abbey, and later developed a reputation for the quality of the gunpowder produced in the area. In the mid 1700s, the town supported five watchmakers in the High Street. Today, Battle is known as a tourist destination.

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 gunpowder.

Battle 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.

Gunpowder works

The first gunpowder mill in Battle was built in 1676 when John Hammond was granted permission to build a mill on land owned by the Abbey. A gunpowder works was located in Powdermill Lane - the remains of which have been converted into a hotel. In 1722 Daniel Defoe described the town as being "remarkable for little now, but for making the finest gun-powder, and the best perhaps in Europe". [Daniel Defoe, "A tour through England and Wales", J.M. Dent and Sons Ltd, London (1959) [http://www.visionofbritain.org.uk/text/chap_page.jsp?t_id=Defoe&c_id=7&cpub_id=0#pn_48 Available online here] ] The Duke of Cleveland refused to renew the licence in 1847 after many mishaps [ [http://www.battlemuseum.org.uk/guy_fawkes.htm Guy Fawkes ] ] , including one occasion in 1798 on which more than 15 tonnes of gunpowder were left in the oven for too long and exploded.

The parish

The area covered by Battle Town Council includes the main town of Battle, as well as the nearby settlements of Netherfield and Telham.

Telham Hill is c. one mile south-east of Senlac Hill, in East Sussex, England. It was from Telham Hill that William the Conqueror's army first caught sight of the English army forming up on Senlac Hill, for the battle of Hastings, 14 October 1066.

Landmarks

There are three Sites of Special Scientific Interest within the parish.

Blackhorse Quarry, a site of palaeontological interest which has produced many fossil bones and teeth including iguanadon and crocodiles. [cite web|url=http://www.english-nature.org.uk/special/sssi/sssi_details.cfm?sssi_id=1005748 |title=Natural England - SSSI (Blackhorse Quarry)|accessdate=2008-05-25|publisher=English Nature] Hemingfold Meadow is a site of biological interest consisting of two meadows with nationally rare grassland species. [cite web|url=http://www.english-nature.org.uk/special/sssi/sssi_details.cfm?sssi_id=1001586 |title=Natural England - SSSI (Heingfold Meadow)|accessdate=2008-10-03|publisher=English Nature] Darwell Wood is partially within the parish which is another site of biological importance as an example of hornbeam coppice with oak standards. [cite web|url=http://www.english-nature.org.uk/special/sssi/sssi_details.cfm?sssi_id=1002162|title=Natural England - SSSI (Darwell Wood)|accessdate=2008-10-03|publisher=English Nature]

Transport

Battle is linked to Hastings and London by the A2100 (A21).This section of the A2100 was the original A21.

Battle railway station (designed by William Tress) lies on the Hastings Line, north of Crowhurst and south of Robertsbridge. There was once a station known as Mountfield Halt between Battle and Robertsbridge but this closed on 6 October 1969.

The station is managed by and the services are provided by Southeastern.

John Bodkin Adams

John Bodkin Adams, the suspected serial killer, attended a shooting meeting in Battle on 30 June 1983. While staying at the Battle Abbey Hotel he slipped on the concrete steps and fractured his left hip. He was taken to hospital but died of left ventricular failure on 4 July 1983. In 1957, he had been tried at the Old Bailey on two counts of murdering his patients, but was controversially found not guilty. He was suspected, however, by pathologist Francis Camps of killing 163 patients. [Cullen, Pamela V., "A Stranger in Blood: The Case Files on Dr John Bodkin Adams", London, Elliott & Thompson, 2006, ISBN 1-904027-19-9]

External links

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ee also

Battle of Hastings