Battle, (East Sussex)

Parish picture

The Romans were based around Battle at Beauport from 43AD until 400AD. They built a bath house for the troops guarding the Iron Workings (Bloomeries) in the area.

Battle was founded on the site of the Battle of Hastings in 1066. The name comes from the Rape of Haestingas (one of the six major divisions of the land of the South Saxons) in which the battle was fought.

St Mary's Church was built by Abbot Ralph at the beginning of the 12th century and contains good glass and many splendid monuments and brasses.

A new parish, Netherfield, was formed from the Battle parish in 1862.

Parish picture

The town grew around Battle Abbey, which was constructed between 1070-1094 by William the Conqueror, as a penance ordered by the Pope for the loss of life occurring in the battle.

The 14th century gatehouse, built by Abbot Retlynge, has dominated the high street for over 500 years.

Of the two windmills on Caldbec Hill only the Kings Head mill survives, now a private residence.

Other Battle parishes:

Netherfield.

Places of worship:

Church details, together with baptism, marriage, monumental inscription & burial records can be accessed by clicking on the church name.

Battle Abbey

Battle Cemetery

Congregational Church

Emmanuel Centre

Our Lady Immaculate & St Michael

St Mary the Virgin

Telham Court Chapel

The Ascension, Telham

Unitarian Chapel

Vidler's Chapel

Wesleyan Chapel

Zion Baptist Chapel

Census returns:

People residing in the parish:

1549 individuals in the OPC Database for the 1841 census.

3312 individuals in the OPC Database for the 1861 census.

People born in this parish but residing elsewhere:

7 individuals in the OPC Database for the 1851 census.

6 individuals in the OPC Database for the 1861 census.

3 individuals in the OPC Database for the 1871 census.

2 individuals in the OPC Database for the 1891 census.

Maps:

Grid reference: 574500, 115500 ~ View on: Google Maps, Open Street Map, Streetmap, National Library of Scotland Map or Oldmaps.

Militia records etc:

Roll of Honour has details of people listed on the memorial in the church

Other links relating to this parish:

Battle Town Website is a community site with lots of information

Roughwood has images of the windmill on Caldbec Hill

Poll Registers:

The OPC database contains 300 poll register entries for people entitled to vote in this parish.

1641 Protestation Returns:

There are no protestation returns for this parish in the OPC database.

Gazettes:

The OPC database contains 256 entries for people associated with this parish mentioned in Gazettes.

Parish histories:

Index of People mentioned in the book, "Crime and Criminals of Battle in the Middle of the Nineteenth Century" by Pamela N. Corbett (1998, ISBN 0-9534300-0-6)

Index of People mentioned in the book, "A Tapestry of Battle: Its People and their Stories" by the Battle Writers' Group, S B Publications (2002, ISBN 1-85770-248-4)

Index of People mentioned in the book, "Battle and Robertsbridge in Old Photographs" by Alan Gillet, Alan Sutton Publishing (1989, ISBN 0-86299 646 5)

Photographs:

There are 131 images depicting this parish in the OPC database.

POWPics (The new Roughwood churches album) contains 1 photographs of churches in this parish. This album will also display any postcards or other images of churches which are in the Sussex OPC database.

Pictures of England have some nice images of the town, including the Abbey

Roughwood has images of the windmill on Caldbec Hill

Postal directories:

The OPC database contains 469 postal directory entries for this parish, (breakdown below).

98 entries from the 1791 Universal British Directory.

87 entries from the 1823 Pigot's Directory of Sussex.

130 entries from the 1832 Pigot's Directory of Sussex.

154 entries from the 1851 Post Office Directory.

The OPC database contains the following directory sections which cover this parish.

1791 Universal British Directory for Battel.

1823 Pigot's Directory of Sussex for Battle.

1851 Post Office Directory for Battle.

1832 Pigot's Directory of Sussex for Battle.

1840 Directory of Sussex for Battle.

1867 Kelly's Directory is on the GENUKI site

1840 Pigot Directory for Battle

Publications:

There are 14 books about this parish in the Sussex OPC Bibliography.

There are 27 articles about this parish in the OPC Sussex Archeaological Collections Index.

There are 29 people from this parish in the OPC Sussex Archeaological Society Members Index.

Wills:

The OPC database contains 8 wills of people who lived in this parish.

The OPC database contains 1 will which mention this parish.

Interest in this parish:

2 registered users have badged this parish. To contact them or see their details, please register as a frequent visitor to this site.

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