1066 Country

About

This area is named after the Battle of Hastings in 1066 which witnessed the mighty clash between Norman and Saxon kings.The battle took place just on the outskirts of the town of Battle. Today you can visit the battle site, the famous Abbey built by King William the Conqueror as a memorial to dead, along with the charming town.

1066 is also home to the towns and villages of Bexhill-on-Sea, Bodiam, Camber, Hastings, Herstmonceux, Pevensey, Rye and Winchelsea. It is a destination were you leave the cities behind and head for the sea, where the wooded hills of the Sussex Weald stretch down to meet England’s south coast.

If you love history this is a destination not to miss, full of ancient settlements, castles, and stories of smugglers and pirates including Bodiam and Herstmonceux Castles, Battle Abbey and Battle Museum. Don't miss the chance to see the one and only Battle of Hastings re-enactment, which takes place on the very spot where King Harold and Duke William fought in 1066 with over 300 reenactors recreating the drama and intensity of this legendary conflict (October).

Discover an area rich in natural beauty, from the Sussex Weald, an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty and designated as a National Landscape, which covers parts of Sussex, Kent and Surrey. Rye Harbour Nature Reserve  which provides hands on fun and the chance to see all of visiting wildlife, and the aptly known 1066 walk and discover a landscape of woods, marshes, headlands and shorelines.

There's also lots of family-friendly attractions to enjoy including Drusillas Park and the Kent & East Sussex Railway the finest rural light railway in the country, is a fun way to reach Bodiam Castle, or take a boat cruise or kayak from Bodiam Boating Station at Newenden.

Make sure you check your calendars and head along to the Bodiam Castle’s Grand Medieval Weekend and Herstmonceux Castle’s Medieval Festival which are popular annual events; or explore Kipling’s home, Bateman’s, which run children’s events throughout summer;