Perhaps the most famous date in English history - 1066 is the year the Normans defeated the English at the Battle of Hastings. William the Conqueror founded 'Battle' Abbey to commemorate his victory: here, on the site of its high altar, you can stand at the very spot where King Harold of England fell.
Founded on the battle site (in fact some seven miles north of Hastings), Battle Abbey enjoyed great wealth and special privileges as the symbol of Norman triumph. Though little of its original Norman structure survives, you can still see many later monastic buildings, including the dormitory range with its fine vaulted novices' chamber. The west range, incorporating the abbots' Great Hall, was converted into a mansion after Henry VIII's Dissolution of the Monasteries, and is now a school. Best preserved and most impressive of all is the Great Gatehouse, rebuilt in about 1338 and among the finest surviving monastic entrances in Britain.
Inside the Abbey grounds which are now administered by English Heritage can be found the ruins of the Minster (church); the splendid Basilica which, had it been preserved would still, from its size alone, take rank with the grandest buildings in England. It measured no less than 315 feet in length, and was, therefore, longer than Rochester Cathedral or Ripon; longer than Bath Abbey Church, Sherbourne Minster or Christchurch, in Hampshire longer than Southwell, or Romsey. Yet, according to an old legend, William had intended it to be still longer. According to Knighton, as William was sleeping in his tent before the battle, he heard a voice, which said to him, ‘Be a good man, for thou shalt prevail to take the crown of this realm, and be king of England. When thou halt overcome thy foe, build here in my name a church, as many feet in length as years in which thy seed shall possess rule in the land.' Others say the King passed three weeks in praying and fasting, and giving alms and oblations, beseeching God to reveal to him the duration of his dynasty ; ' and at length, received in reply the command to build a Minster as many feet long as he desired years of royalty for his posterity.' After this comforting vision, which seemed to leave the length of his dynasty to his own choice, the King rose at sunrise, and had the ground duly measured and staked out for a church 500 feet long. But, during the following night, invisible hands were found to have removed the boundaries, and reduced the dimensions to 315 feet. William had them replaced, but the same thing happened the next night. Again he had them put back in their original position, but when they were altered for the third time, he gave up the contest, and accepted the diminished measurement. And thus the minster was 315 feet long; unfortunately no change of dynasty occurred at the date thus obtained -1381.
The only representation there is of the Minster is the somewhat rude one given on the Abbey seals, some of which are in the British Museum. These show that on the west front, a great central tower, two storeys high, surmounted by a low spire. Four other arcaded towers - higher than those of Peterborough - and each also crowned with a spirelet, bearing crosses and banners, terminate each front of the transept. The principal entrance was through a magnificent arch. The seal of Bishop Odo, giving a lateral view, shows the three eastern chapels of which the substructures still exist. This magnificent building was utterly annihilated in 1538.
Number 1066 in the series is a simple off set cache, the micro is a short walk.
At the coordinates given above you should find a plaque on the ground with seven words (ignoring &). The number of letters in each word give A (first word), B, C, D, E, F and G (last word).
Nearby is the entrance to the Abbey. By the visitor entrance there is a plaque with a single number on it this is H. Also here you can find the number to phone for customer services 0370 JJJ 1181
The micro is at N 50 5 (B-H). (G+J+H) (F-B) (C+G-E) E00 2 (D+E). (F) (J) (C-D)
The cache has a log book only but no pen so please bring one with you
If any body would like to expand to this series, please let Sadexploration know first so that he can keep track of the Church numbers and names to avoid duplication
There is now a Church Micro statistics page which can be viewed via the bookmark list