Battle

[poliphilo]

 

This is the field where modern English history began. Here the Saxon king Harold Godwinson faced an invading Norman army led by William the Bastard. The Saxons held the high ground, fighting on foot; the Normans attacked with archers and cavalry. It was- as the Duke of Wellington said of Waterloo- a near-run thing. In the end the Normans won because they were trickier. The battle is most commonly known as the battle of Hastings- even though the town of Hastings is many miles away. Alternative names for it are Senlac or Santlache. William- now William I, King of England- had the Benedictines build an Abbey on the ground where the Saxons had stood. Maybe that laid the ghosts. The town that grew up around his Abbey is called Battle. 



The Abbey was dissolved by Henry VIII and sold into secular ownership. The church and cloister and many other buildings were pulled down. What's left is divided in ownership between English Heritage and a private school. 



 

Comments

[saare-snowqueen.livejournal.com]

What beautiful ribbed vaulting. Keep on travelling, please. I love your photo-history essays.

[poliphilo.livejournal.com]

Thanks.

There'll be more. I seem to be on a mission right now to photograph as much of picturesque Britain as I possibly can.

[frumiousb.livejournal.com]

I'm really enjoying these pictures. The last one in this series is particularly lovely.

[poliphilo.livejournal.com]

Thanks.

I'm glad you like that one. It could have been a nothing shot, but I think it works.

[arielstarshadow.livejournal.com]

Do you know what those beautiful pink flowers are in your first picture??

[poliphilo.livejournal.com]

I'm almost certain they're wild roses.

[arielstarshadow.livejournal.com]

They're so lovely. *sigh* Your pictures make me miss England.

[wyrmwwd.livejournal.com]

Beautiful! Thank you for sharing!

[poliphilo.livejournal.com]

I'm so glad you like 'em.

[mummm.livejournal.com]

I love the daisies on the old stones and the flowers in the battlefield! You have an amazing homeland and you take the nicest photos of it all!

[poliphilo.livejournal.com]

Thanks.

[pondhopper.livejournal.com]

Fantastic! I am enjoying your wanderings these days. I've long wanted to visit Battle. The last photo is almost a perfect composition. The first is also lovely indeed.

[poliphilo.livejournal.com]

Thanks.

Battle is a handsome town. Driving down the main street and seeing the abbey gatehouse looming up ahead was a bit of a "wow!" moment.

[heleninwales.livejournal.com]

I really enjoy your illustrated travelogues. It's nice to see all these places I haven't had chance to visit yet but maybe will one day.

[poliphilo.livejournal.com]

Thanks.

We only recently acquired a car- and I guess I'm making up for lost time.

[baritonejeff.livejournal.com]

Food for thought...

I'm one of the many who look foward to, and enjoy immensely, your impressions/historical background/photos-posts. Most especially when they are accompanied by your poetic musings.

Combined together, they would make a most unique, valuable and rewarding view of one of the world's richest histories. I would absolutely order a copy of such a thing, were it to someday become a reality.

[poliphilo.livejournal.com]

Thank you.

It hadn't crossed my mind that these posts could be issued in book form. Hmmm, I wonder if a publisher would be interested...