The Victorious Ways of Battle: There’s a lot more to the East Sussex countryside than 1066 and all

Daniel Defoe, the author of Robinson Crusoe, wrote more than 300 works and was simultaneously a merchant, journalist, pamphleteer, social critic and spy: a great career.

But the early 18th century writer got it wrong when he described the Battle of East Sussex in 1722 as “remarkable to few”.

It was clear that he thought the tide went out in this town ten miles from the coast, but he underestimated the weight of the story.

For today, 957 years after the Battle of Hastings, the bloody origins of 1066 are central to their relative prosperity.

Mind you, peace reigns as my girlfriend and I wander the streets admiring the antique shops, independent cafes and local producers ranging from bakers to breweries.

The town of Battle is six miles from the coast in East Sussex

A walk around the ruins of the 11th-century Abbey, built by William the Conqueror and now managed by English Heritage, is a must. The visitor center offers a 15-minute film that recreates the battle and explains each location and what happened on any given day.

During our visit the battlefield itself was closed due to mud, but it is open most of the year.

The English might have fared better if they could have used the same excuse on Saturday 14 October 1066, when Harold Godwinson, assembled in south Yorkshire, met William, Duke of Normandy. King Harald, who had only been on the throne for nine months, defended his kingdom against the forces of Norway’s King Harald Hardrada.

Slag is best known for being the site of the Battle of Hastings in 1066, re-enacted above

At Hastings, Harold’s ragged army stood firm on the hill for most of the afternoon, until the Normans’ misguided retreat tactics breached the English shield wall.

The story goes that Harold saw an arrow in his eye that night. William ordered the abbey to atone for the blood he had shed and the site of the high altar marks that of Harold’s death.

The city grew out of this chaos. The abbey gave it influence until 1538, when Henry VIII’s wandering eyes led to the act of supremacy and the dissolution of the monasteries.

“A walk through the ruins of the 11th-century abbey (above) built by William the Conqueror and now managed by English Heritage is essential,” writes Hugo

View of the city from the exit of the Abbey. Hugo says Battle is ‘proud of its history, but not dependent on it’

But this city owes its history not only to the Battle of Hastings. In AD 100-200, the area was a Roman iron factory settlement that supplied half of the metal needs of the vast empire. And since the gunpowder boom of the 17th and 18th centuries, Battle has held one of the longest bonfire ceremonies.

They now call the area 1066 Country (with Battle at its heart). We enjoy the White Hart Pub in Netherfield one night, and a restaurant called Wild Mushroom in nearby Westfield is particularly modest and has good food. There are also vineyards, including at Sedlescombe.

The nearby Castlemans Cottages are a good option for accommodation as Battle can get very busy.

The city is proud of its history, but is not dependent on it. It’s a place to buy a book, linger over tea and cake, have a pint – and just enjoy the silence.