Battle Abbey and Battlefield

The parish church of St Mary, Battle, seen from the remains of Battle Abbey. The abbey was founded by William the Conqueror on the exact spot where King Harold died at the Battle of Hastings, as penance for the bloodshed of the Norman Conquest. The abbey thrived as a Benedictine monastery for over 400 years, and after its suppression in 1538 the abbot’s lodging was transformed into a grand country house.