July 3 Herstmonceux Castle and Battle of Hastings

First stop of the day was the castle Herstmonceux.  It is the earliest brick castle build in England and was built in the Tudor period.  

It fell into disrepair and was partially torn down before two gentlemen in the early 20^th century totally restored it.  It is now a campus of Queen’s University in Toronto Canada. 

The gardens were extensive with many garden rooms, expansive flower beds and tall yew hedges.    

Most of the roses and many other flowers were still in bloom.

At the entrance of the grounds is the site of the former Royal Greenwich Observatory from 1958 to 1990.  The buildings still remain.

The we took a tour of the castle that was led by a rather humorous guide who told about both the early history of the castle as well as about the current college operations.

We had a late lunch at the castle tea room and then decided to go to Battle.  This town was the site of the Battle of Hastings in 1066 when the Normans defeated the Anglo-Saxons and changed England’s history.  

The field is largely as it was nearly a thousand years ago. 

Gate entrance to Battle Abbey and the Battlefield

The only construction on the site was the ruins of Battle Abbey constructed shortly after the battle.  About 7000 soldiers died in the battle, a huge loss of life at the time when the typical town had a population of only about 2500 people.  William the Conqueror had the abbey constructed as penance for the loss of life in the battle.

Much of it was destroyed in the Dissolution of the Abbey’s under Henry VIII.  But ruins are always picturesque.  

Plus, much of the Abbott’s house survived the centuries and is now used as a school.

There was a marker noting the place that King Harold died. 

The marker was originally within the abbey and its location could be scene within the ruins of the abbey's outline.

The town has grown up around the abbey and battle grounds and has it's own charm.  

There is a pretty old church just outside the abbey walls. 

We headed back to Hastings and decided to have dinner at the hotel again.  The menu is limited but the views from the terrace are nice and there wasn’t really anything else close.