Lady’s 5 Things to Do in Battle, England

Today I want to bring you my guide to things to do in Battle, England. This town in East Sussex is famous for being the site of the Battle of Hastings in 1066, but you’ll be surprised how much more there is to it. I certainly was.

Things to Do in Battle

If you’re not familiar with it, the Battle of Hastings was fought between the invading army of the Duke of Normandy and the English army of King Harold in the 11th century.

The former’s victory kicked off the Norman conquest of England, making the battle one of the most important in English history.

While the official name is the Battle of Hastings, the fighting actually took place just north of the East Sussex coast in a field in the present-day town of Battle.

After his victory, the Duke of Normandy, who’s known as William the Conqueror, founded an important abbey on the site.

Like most abbeys in England, it was largely destroyed in Henry VIII’s Dissolution of the Monasteries in the 16th century. But impressive remnants of both the battle and the abbey remain, and they’re worth taking a day trip to Battle to see.

1. Walk the Battlefield

The biggest draws to the town are the battlefield itself and the abbey that sits on it. Walking around the battlefield is one of the best things to do in Battle.

Battle Abbey and the field are English Heritage sites, so I recommend getting an English Heritage pass before you go. It makes entry free and easy.

Once there, an audio guide will lead you around the battlefield. It takes about an hour to do the full circuit, but there are shorter routes if you want to go faster.

The tour has stations where you can stop and listen to the guide, read signs with information about the progression of the Battle of Hastings, and see sculptural representations of English and Norman soldiers.

The field itself is on a sloping hill studded with sheep. It’s set against the backdrop of the abbey towers, and it’s alarmingly peaceful for the site of such a bloody battle.

2. Visit Battle Abbey

Once you’ve completed the circuit of the battlefield, you’ll come to Battle Abbey. Seeing the ruins is another of the best things to do in Battle.

There’s a lot to take in outside around the grounds. The ruined dormitory range is stunning, and the walled garden with its fruit trees is a pretty place to walk.

The dairy and ice house looks like something out of a fairy tale with its conical thatched roof, and the crypt ruins and site of the abbey church and high altar are haunting.

There’s even a stone marker where King Harold is thought to have fallen in battle. It looks impressive against the tower of the Church of St Mary the Virgin behind it.

The cloister and abbot’s great hall buildings are beautiful to see, too. They’re now a school, so they’re off-limits to regular visitors. But the Battle Abbey gatehouse is a museum, and it’s worth visiting.

The museum has several floors with exhibitions and artifacts. They go through the history of both the Battle of Hastings and Battle Abbey.

After visiting the abbeys William the Conqueror founded in Normandy’s Caen (and seeing his tomb in one of them), I enjoyed visiting Battle Abbey and seeing his work in England.

3. Take in Views of Battle

At the top of the gatehouse, there’s a viewing platform with panoramic views over Battle and the field. Taking them in is another of the best things to do in Battle.

From the front, there are great views over the high street and rooftops of the town. From the back, the gatehouse overlooks the area around the cloister and abbot’s great hall. Parts of the battlefield can be seen, too.

4. Walk the High Street in Battle

I always thought Battle was just the abbey and field, but visiting the town showed me a lot of other things to do in Battle. One of them is walking along the high street.

I never imagined there would be an actual town in Battle. For some reason I always thought it was just a field and abbey in the middle of nowhere.

But the town is a bustling one, and the high street is packed with everything from cafes to shops, restaurants, museums, and more.

Culinary highlights include hip coffee shops like Number Eighty and sweet cafes like Battle Deli and Coffee Shop. There are also clothing boutiques, vintage furniture shops, home goods stores, and more.

The Battle Museum of Local History has a lot to see from the Battle of Hastings and other eras, too. From ancient Roman artifacts to an axe from the battle in 1066 and Victorian memorabilia, the collections cover the town’s history.

Taking a walk along the high street in Battle not only reveals the retail and dining highlights of the town, but also the architectural ones.

There are beautiful heritage buildings with half-timbered facades, colorful cottages, and all kinds of details that are worth pausing to admire.

5. Take in the Side Streets

But it’s not just the high street in Battle. There are lots of little alleys and side streets to explore, too.

Mews streets radiate off the high street, and many of them have great names. From Red Barn Mews to George Mews, they’re worth peering into.

Bigger roads like Mount Street have lots of colorful cottages, historic pubs, and other fun finds as well. Upper Lake and Lower Lake are packed with historic churches, unique houses, and pub terraces, too.

Perhaps my favorite side street is Park Lane, where The Pilgrims Rest, a Tudor building from the early 1400s, is a stunner. Its facade and garden are beautiful.

Best Things to Do in Battle

I hope this guide to things to do in Battle has inspired you to visit and see the abbey, battlefield, and town for yourself. There’s a lot more to this part of England than meets the eye, and it’s worth a trip to East Sussex to discover it.

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