battle abbey and battlefield

Lovely abbey and grounds. Nice little town with plenty of shops and cafes. Good visitor centre in the abbey with a very interesting short film telling all about the Battle of Hastings.

You can read the other reviews. The abbey and the battlefield are worth seeing, but the only gripe I had when I visited was the extortionate parking. £4.50 and the machine doesn't give change. The machine is quite new and because I didn't have 50p change, to park was £5. Being that it was quiet when I went, I feel this was asking too much of their customers.

Although nothing much has survived of the original abbey, the place should be visited by everyone who is into history - the Battle of Hastings was fought here and this is where Harold II was killed. There are only ruins of the abbey buildings but thanks to panels with pictures and descriptions you can get an idea of what the abbey looked like. The same applies to information boards depicting the individual phases of the Battle of Hastings.Get the audio guide, walk at your own pace and enjoy the special atmosphere of the site. (On rainy days there is a lot of mud, though),

We visited the Abbey and Battlefield last year whilst camping nearby on holiday. As English Heritage members, it was free for us to visit but I would say was worth the entrance fee even if you are not a member as it is a site of such historical importance for England. The visitors centre gave a really interesting history of the time and the circumstances leading up to the battle itself. We had the audio tour guide and took the longer walking route which takes you right around the field and up the hill where the battle was centred. All in all it was a fascinating visit and one which has been on list to do for a long time and I am glad we finally had the chance to go there. There were lots of activities for children going on as it was the summer holidays so it would be a great place to visit as a family, as most English Heritage sites are. A well preserved site and lots of information available for visitors. Thank you English Heritage!

The Abbey and Battlefield are administered by English Heritage. The visit included an audio tour commentary and you can progress at your own pace. Well worth a visit and children will love it.

My daughter was doing a school project and homework about the Battle of Hastings, and as an English Heritage Member, and having been here on and off over the last 15 years or so, needed no excuse for a day out to visit. It is a fascinating place for anyone who loves history, and so meaningful to English history. Unfortunately the day we went had been preceded by a lot of rain, so the Lower Battlefield walk was not usable. However, there is still a lot to see and do despite that. As an Australian, the imagery of a battlefield is of a vast area, and is is somewhat deceiving regarding the size of where one of the most important battles of history took place. The Audio Tour is great as it gives almost an eye-witness account, and explains how the battle took place, and what took place prior to and after. There are other displays which give an insight into how and why the battle took place, and it's interesting to note it's not really near Hastings, but not many people know that. The grounds are meticulously looked after, and a pleasure to stroll around on well defined paths. My daughter thoroughly enjoyed her day out, and learned a lot more than just reading books about the battle. I have always enjoyed coming here and will be back again.

Went today with 6 and 4 year old, despite the rain they were kept thoroughly entertained with the storytelling and learning to be princesses and knights.Also their gin is amazing definitely worth buying from the shop

Visited the Abbey this week on a two day stay in Battle. Great value for money and the audio presentation is very good. Also a short film about the Battle, how it happened and the consequences. Friendly welcome by all staff we spoke to, could not have been more helpful. Lucky for us the sun was shining as I would think on a wet day it could get very muddy. Didn't do the Battle walk as it was a bit much for us but lots of people did. Attractions for children over half-term were well attended and from what we saw the staff did a great job. Were there about 2 hours and thoroughly enjoyed it. Would recommend a visit.

Very good audio guide which transformed what might otherwise have felt much like any other muddy field. The visitors' centre was good, and the staff very friendly and helpful. The boys found it very interesting, and we all learnt a lot.

Would be even better if it had not been raining, grandson enjoyed it all including the mud!trip to Battle abbey

We visited Battle Abbey on a cold and bleak day and we really enjoyed it. The audio guide is good and adds detail to the informative David Starkey film in the visitor centre. The visitor centre is engaging though the march to battle interactive bit is unresponsive and could be improved. The battlefield walk was muddy as to be expected at this time of year so make sure you take appropriate footwear! The abbey is worth a visit, we loved hearing about the uses of different spaces. The gatehouse exhibition is a little dated and although informative, the style is not consistent with the quality of the audio guide, the visitor centre exhibition and the information panels around the rest of the site. The café is great, the staff are friendly and there is a good range of food and drink available. The toilet facilities are clean but the hand dryers are rubbish! The Gift shop has a wide selection of stock and includes wine tasting! Parking is £1.00 for English Heritage members or £4.50 for non-members. We felt the latterwasw steep especially since you have to pay for entry too.

Enjoyable visit on a beautiful dayLots of families there with their children enjoying the half team breakAn interesting insight into the history of when England's King Harold was defeated and the Normans took control of the countryLot's of historical facts on display in the museumOne of the few attractions that either English Heritage or The National Trust have opened prior to Easter

We spent a good three hours here visiting the museum, walking the battlefield and looking at the abbey remains. The weather was a bit dank which made us even more aware of the conditions of battle on an October morning in 1066. The film in the visitor centre helped to prepare us for the battlefield tour and the audio tour was excellent and the equipment worked well. Special activities for the children this week. I have passed the abbey maybe fifty times in my life and always wondered what was behind the walls. Definitely worth the entrance fee.

This was a great day out and good value for the price, arrive early as they ran out of audio tours later in the morning. Depending on the time of year wear a sturdy pair of shoes as the walk around the battlefield can be very wet and muddy, we went in Feb and the friendly man on the entrance warned us of this. the audio tour gave a lot of background information and was very useful. The visitor centre was full of great information and the short 10 min film is well worth a look.

Went to the abbey today to have a look around and for our daughter to join in with the Knights and Princesses school which is being run during half term.. Brilliant fun and educational. No extra cost for her to join in. An hour flew by as the many children were trained in how to serve a lord and how to fight with a sword. The children and adults listened with rapt attention as the two guides imparted amazing information about life for young trainee princesses and knights. They were incredibly knowledgable and it was a really enjoyable experience. The setting is fabulous and the walk round the battlefield was very informative with lots of boards giving a rundown of events on that October day in 1066.