Battle Abbey, East Sussex

The GuardianJul 1

‘The landscape offers the same russet and ochre hues as the Bayeux tapestry’: walking the 1066 trail in East Sussex

With the British Museum’s blockbuster Bayeux tapestry exhibition opening soon, we follow in the footsteps of William the Conqueror and King Harold’s armies around Battle and Rye ‘Uh oh, look at these!” I call to my friends, Annie and Mike. “Ominous,” remarks Annie. Mike raises an eyebrow. We’re hiking the Pevensey Levels, marshland first drained in 772, home now to sheep and cattle, but also wa…

towers visible from Abbey View Cottages

21 things in this story

Bayeux tapestryMuseumon display at the British Museum
1066 Country WalkTrail31 miles across East Sussex
Pevensey LevelsNature reservemarshland first drained in 772
Wartling WoodSightgreen secrecy where route is picked up
Boreham StreetNeighborhoodneat village
Ash Tree InnPublocated in Brownbread Street hamlet
Tent HillSightsuggested army camped here
Abbey View CottagesHotelaccommodation in Battle
Battle AbbeyMuseumtowers visible from Abbey View Cottages
British MuseumMuseumIts permanent collection of eight million works is the largest in the world.
BattleNeighborhoodtown known as probable site of Battle of Hastings
RyeNeighborhoodpretty, comfortable town of Henry James
Great WoodSightlocated in Battle
Three Oaks pubPubwelcoming pub
Keith PettitPlaceartist with Bayeux tapestry-inspired sculptures
WinchelseaNeighborhoodmedieval town rebuilt by Edward I
St Thomas churchPlace of worshiphas stained glass windows by Douglas Strachan
Camber CastleAttractionruin on the flatland
Ship InnPubrooms from £75 in Rye
River PevenseySight
Brownbread StreetNeighborhood

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Battle Abbey

In the coverage1 story

‘The landscape offers the same russet and ochre hues as the Bayeux tapestry’: walking the 1066 trail in East Sussex