The battle of Hastings, of course, was not fought at Hastings, but at nearby Battle. Hastings is a nice little seaside town, although it was a major port in mediaeval times, until coastal erosion made the harbour unuseable and caused the castle on the cliff to fall into the sea. Hastings then remained a fishing village until seaside resorts became fashionable, hence the typical very tall black fishing huts on the Stade. Access to the cliffs (and the remains of the castle) is via many steps or two funicular railways. Although the keep was destroyed when the cliff collapsed, the chapel and the original motte from William the Conqueror's castle remain.
Showing posts with label 1066. Show all posts
Showing posts with label 1066. Show all posts
Friday, 20 April 2007
Funiculí, funiculá
The battle of Hastings, of course, was not fought at Hastings, but at nearby Battle. Hastings is a nice little seaside town, although it was a major port in mediaeval times, until coastal erosion made the harbour unuseable and caused the castle on the cliff to fall into the sea. Hastings then remained a fishing village until seaside resorts became fashionable, hence the typical very tall black fishing huts on the Stade. Access to the cliffs (and the remains of the castle) is via many steps or two funicular railways. Although the keep was destroyed when the cliff collapsed, the chapel and the original motte from William the Conqueror's castle remain.
1066 and all that
Still on the past Easter break, this is a shot of the monks' common room in the undercroft of the east range of Battle Abbey. The abbey was founded by William I in memory of the fateful battle in 1066: the site of the high altar in the now-vanished church was reputed to be the spot where Harold fell. A terrace to the south of the abbey overlooks the battlefield, and there are descriptive panels to allow visitors to reconstruct the various stages of the conflict. English Heritage have a 1066 experience online.
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