Saxon standard bearer   Anglo Saxon History Search Pages Home Background Landscape ▼ Changing Landscape and Language Sea Levels in AD400(Pevensey) Sea Levels in AD400(The Wash) Sea level changes last 2000 years Andredsweald and Anderida Where are the Roman Roads History of the Romney Marsh The Great Storm 1287AD List of Landscape Documents Local ▼ The Saxon Kingdom of the Haestingas The Cinque Ports 914AD Alfred the Great's fort in Hastings Battle Museum Battle History Society Villagenet Local Gazeteer World War 2 Tank database Simon the Piman(Raspberry Pi) Tourist Guides for the area Romans ▼ First Invasion 55BC Second Invasion 43AD Roman roads in Britannia Ptolemy Geographica Tribes MAP-Margary Roman Roads MAP-Roman Roads South East MAP-Roman Roads South West MAP-Roman Roads Wales MAP-Roman Roads South Midlands MAP-Roman Roads South Yorkshire MAP-Roman Locations Norfolk MAP-Roman Locations Essex MAP-Wealden Roads/Bloomeries Wealden Bloomeries 1st Century Wealden Bloomeries 2nd Century Wealden Bloomeries 3rd Century Wealden Bloomeries 4th Century MAP-Antonine Itinery I Roman Industry in the Brede Valley Decline in Roman Wealden Ironworking The Gallic Empire 260AD - 274AD Types of Roman Fortification List of Roman Documents Saxon Chronicles ▼ 914AD Burghal Hideage Locations - 449AD Ebbsfleet Locations - 455AD Agelesþrep Locations - 485AD Mearcredesburnan Stede Locations - 914AD Eorpeburnan Invaders 1 - Henghest, Horsa and Æsc Invaders 2 - The Haestingas Invaders 3 - Aelle Cymen Wlenca Cissa Invaders 4 - West Seaxe (Wessex) 449AD(2) the Welsh flee from Henghest 449AD(1) Henghest lands at Ypwinesfleot 455AD Henghest fights at Agælesþrep 456AD Henghest fights at Wippedesfleote 457AD Henghest fights at Crecganford 457AD the Haestingas !! 473AD - Welsh Flee again (Henghest and Æsc) 477AD Ælle lands at Cymensora 485AD Ælle and Mearcrædesburnan stæðe 491AD Ælle fights at Andredescester 495AD Cerdic lands at Cerdicesora 501AD Port arrives at Portesmuþa 508AD Cerdicesford and Netley 514AD Stuff and Whitgar 519AD Cerdic & Cynric at Cerdicesford 527AD Cerdic & Cynric at Cerdicesleigh 530AD - Wihtgarabyrg (Cerdic and Cynric) 534AD - Isle of Wight given to Stuff and Wihtgar 552AD - Searobyrg (Cynric) 556AD - Beranbyrg (Cynric and Ceawlin) 568AD - Wibban dune (Ceaulin and Cuþa) 1066 Battle ▼ Documentary Evidence ▼ Available Documents  1 Anglo Saxon Chronicles  2 Battle Abbey Chronicles  3 Bayeux Tapestry  4 Carmen Guy d'Amiens  5 Florence of Worcester  6 Henry of Huntingdon  7 Master Wace  8 Orderic Vitalis(Gesta)  9 William of Jumièges(Gesta) 10 William of Malmesbury 11 Quedam Exceptiones Reference to Locations Phases of the Events ▼ Phases 1066AD  1 Background 1066AD  2 In Normandy 1066AD  3 Channel Crossing 1066AD  4 The Landing 1066AD  5 Feast after Landing 1066AD  6 Building the Forts 1066AD  7 Raiding the Area 1066AD  8 Warning to Harold 1066AD  9 Stamford Bridge 1066AD 10 Harold returns to London 1066AD 11 William is Alerted 1066AD 12 Exchange of Messages 1066AD 13 Defenses 1066AD 14 Harold Reconnoitres 1066AD 15 Preparations 1066AD 16 The Night Before 1066AD 17 The Battle 1066AD 18 Harold is Killed 1066AD 19 The English Rout 1066AD 20 After the Battle 1066AD 21 The Malfosse Warriors, Weapons & Snippets ▼ Saxon - Huscarl Saxon - Fyrd(Fyrð) Senlac Hill The Malfosse The Hoar Apple Tree The Shield Wall Salt Production near Hastings The Battle of Jengland 851AD William's Ship List Norman/Viking Ships and stuff Norman bows and crossbows Harold was NOT killed by an arrow The Time Team(1066-The Lost Battlefield) List of 1066AD Weapons Battle of Hastings Index 1066AD a Summary A - The Ship list of William the Conqueror B - Ships - Drekka, Snekkja and Knarr C - Sailing - Dives sur Mer to St Valerie D - The Sailing - St Valerie to Pevensey E - The Coastline and Landscape F - New Romney Destroyed G - Why Hastings? H -Duke Williams army size and logistics I - Landscape of Haestingaport J - Hastings and its links to Fécamp Abbey K - The Landing , where was it ? L - The Warning to Harold and its implications M - The Long march from York N - The Castles O - The Hoar Apple Tree Q - Places named in the Chronicles R - The Intermediary S - Evidence for the Malfosse S1 - The Hoar Apple Tree S2 - Netherfield Senlac where is it and what does it mean T - the Battle U - The Location of the Battlefield V - Bridge collapses in the retreat Where to find the Hastings Chronicles Observations - Arrow in the eye ? Observations - Bows and Crossbows Observations - Caltrops Observations - Huscarl(Housecarl) Observations - Norman Cavalry Observations - The Saxon Shield Wall Observations - Wooden Spades LOCATION - Hecheland where is it ? LOCATION - The Lands of Battle Abbey 1086AD Domesday ▼ Boundary of Anderida Domesday Hursts Post Domesday Hursts Domesday Manors Wasted UK Norfolk Salt Production Salt Production near Hastings The Wash at 1086 The Humber estuary at 1086 Domesday County details B ▼ Bedfordshire Domesday Population Berkshire Domesday Population Buckinghamshire Domesday Population Domesday County details C ▼ Cambridgeshire Domesday Population Cheshire Domesday Population Cornwall Domesday Population Domesday County details D ▼ Derbyshire Domesday Population Devon Domesday Population Dorset Domesday Population Domesday County details E ▼ Essex Domesday Population Domesday County details G ▼ Gloucestershire Domesday Population Domesday County details H ▼ Hampshire Domesday Population Herefordshire Domesday Population Hertfordshire Domesday Population Huntingdonshire Domesday Population Domesday County details K ▼ Kent Domesday Population Domesday County details L ▼ Leicestershire Domesday Population Lincolnshire Domesday Population Domesday County details M ▼ Middlesex Domesday Population Domesday County details N ▼ Norfolk Domesday Population Northamptonshire Domesday Population Nottinghamshire Domesday Population Domesday County details O ▼ Oxfordshire Domesday Population Domesday County details R ▼ Rutland Domesday Population Domesday County details S ▼ Shropshire Domesday Population Somerset Domesday Population Staffordshire Domesday Population Suffolk Domesday Population Surrey Domesday Population Sussex Domesday Population Domesday County details W ▼ Warwickshire Domesday Population Wiltshire Domesday Population Worcestershire Domesday Population Domesday County details Y ▼ Yorkshire Domesday Population Place names ▼ Translate my Location Celtic name snippets Jutish name snippets Roman name snippets Saxon name snippets Viking name snippets Norman name snippets Modern name snippets Villages containing HAM Villages containing TON Villages containing CASTLE Sussex Locations with ING Domesday Sussex with ING Kent Locations with ING Sussex Locations with HURST Loads of Village Translations Snippet 1 - What do eye,island,sea etc  mean ? Snippet 2 - What is a hurst ? Snippet 3 - What is a bury, a borough or burgh Snippet 4 - what is a Hythe, Hithe etc Snippet Places 1 - Tidebrook Res Landscape - the Lands of Battle Abbey from the Abbey Chronicles ▼ Introduction ▼ Medieval measurements found in this article ▼ Abbey Lands mentioned in the Domesday Book ▼ Abbey Lands described in the Battle Abbey Chronicles ▼ The Leuga boundary ▼ Animation of the Leuga of Battle Abbey in the modern landscape ▼ Abbey Lands inside the Leuga ▼ Map of the places named inside and outside the Leuga ▼ Details of the places mentioned ▼ Battle and District History Society research   Introduction ▲ Battle Abbey was founded by William the Conqueror as an act of penance following the Battle of Hastings, with the high altar placed at the spot where Harold is said to have fallen. The Abbey was granted a leuga — a roughly circular area of land about one mile in radius around the Abbey — along with a number of outlying manors. This page works through the Abbey's landholdings as recorded in the Domesday Book and the Battle Abbey Chronicles, identifies the Saxon origins of the place names, and maps the leuga boundary as described in the Chronicles. The leuga and the places named within it are also relevant to the wider question of where the battle was actually fought, since several of the place names — including Santlache, Hecheland and Herste — appear in the battle accounts and their locations within the leuga help fix the geography of the engagement.   Medieval measurements found in this article ▲ Please see our page on the description of terms used in the medieval chronicles Abbey Lands mentioned in the Domesday Book ▲ Domesday Book Let us start with the Domesday Book, this was King William I tax register and listed the details of most of the settlements in England. It was written by a number of different monks across the country so the format varies as do the descriptions depending on the author. The Abbot of St Martin's of Battle has its own record in the Domesday Book and is as follows: Uckham spelt Bochehã in Domesday (this translates from the Saxon 'bocce hamm' - the valley settlement with the beech trees) The Abbot has in lordship 1 plough 4 smallholders with 1 plough Meadow, 3 acres Woodland, 2 pigs value before 1066 and now 20s Beech spelt as Bece in Domesday (this translates from the Saxon 'bocce' - Beech trees) The Abbot has 3 virgates of land (90 acres) 3 villagers with 1 plough value 6s Bathurst spelt Wasingate in Domesday (this translates from the Saxon 'wæsc-ærn gat' - the gate to the washing house) The Abbot holds 1 virgate of land (30 acres) 1 villager and 1/2 plough Woodland, 2 pigs value 4s Netherfield spelt Nirefeld in Domesday (this translates from the Saxon 'niwe feld' - the new field) 6 virgates of land (180 acres) 5 villagers and 1 smallholder 3 ploughs value 10s Penhurst spelt Penehest in Domesday (this translates from the Saxon 'pín hyrst' - the clearing in the pine forest) 1/2 hide (60 acres) 2 villagers with 2 ploughs meadow, 1 acre woodland, 2 pigs value 15s Hooe spelt Hou in Domesday (this translates from the Saxon 'hoh' - a headland or promontory originally a heel) 1/2 hide (60 acres) 2 villagers with 1 plough value 5s Filsham spelt Pileshã in Domesday (this translates from the Saxon 'píle hamm' - the valley settlement that makes stakes) 1 virgate (30 acres) 1 villager 1 plough meadow, 1 acre value 4s Catsfield spelt Cedesfeld in Domesday (this translates from the Saxon 'séde feld' - the sowing field) 3 virgates (90 acres) Bullington spelt Bollintun in Domesday (this translates from the Saxon 'bollen ton' - the hill where the bulls bellow) 2 hides less 1 virgate (210 acres) 7 villagers and 5 ploughs value 20s Crowhurst spelt Croherst in Domesday (this translates from the Saxon 'croh hyrst' - the clearing in the forest where the saffron grows) 1 virgate (30 acres) 1 villager value 12s Wilting spelt Witinges in Domesday (this translates from the Saxon 'wíþing es' — the willows) 1 virgate of land (30 acres) waste — destroyed in 1066AD Hollington spelt Holintun in Domesday (this translates from the Saxon 'Holen tun' — the hill where the holly grows) 1 virgate of land (30 acres) waste — destroyed in 1066AD Both Wilting and Hollington are recorded as waste in 1066AD — destroyed, not merely damaged. Both lie close to the coast between Hastings and Pevensey, directly in the path of William's forces as they moved inland from their landing point. Their destruction is consistent with the raiding described in the chronicles during the weeks between William's landing and the battle itself, when Norman forces systematically harried the surrounding area. The fact that these two settlements were not merely damaged but completely destroyed suggests they were either in the direct line of march or were deliberately targeted to provoke Harold into coming south quickly. See the Raiding the Area page for more detail on this phase of the campaign.   Abbey Lands described in the Battle Abbey Chronicles ▲ The lands of the Leuga as described in the Description King's Book(Domesday Book) consist of these portions of the Abbey lands the Leuga. (See above) The Abbey of Battel holds a leuga lying around it. It holds Boccham that is Vochehant and has there half a hide Of this half hide there is one virgate lying without the leuga and belonging to Croherste which Walter Fitz Lambert exchanged for a certain wood within the leuga and it holds it for that reason. In Bece which Osbert holds of the Earl of Eu three virgates In Wasingate that is Bothherstegate says the King's Book the Abbey has a vir gate in fact however it is but half a one. In Wilminte says the same record the Abbey possesses six virgates though it has really but five. In Nirefeld Nedrefeld it has six virgates In Peneherste half a hide In Hou half a hide In Philesham one virgate In Cattesfelde three virgates In Bulintune two hides wanting one virgate In Croherste one virgate. In Wiltinges one virgate. In Holintune one virgate. Total six hides and a half virgate The Leuga boundary ▲ The next paragraph describes the boundary of the leuga in a clockwise manner which allows us to identify modern locations From without Bodeherste on the east is the boundary of the Leuga near the land of Robert Bos and Boundary of it runs near the land of Roger Moin as far as Hecilande and includes Hecilande near the land of William Fitz Robert Fitz Wido and the land of Croherste on the south Thence it passes by the land of Cattesfelde and by Puchehole as far as Westbece near the land of Bodeham to the west After this it passes along by the land of Itintune as far as to the north Thence there is a boundary by the land of Wetlingetuna and the land of Wicham and by Setlescumbe and thus it returns to the first limit namely without Bodeherste on the east Map of the leuga of Battle Abbey showing the clockwise map of the outer boundary. Animation of the Leuga of Battle Abbey in the modern landscape ▲   As you watch this animation, you can see that the leuga of Battle Abbey is still visible in the modern landscape along the edges of woodlands, boundaries or roads. This visibility of the past also remains for Roman roads, and probably other features we have yet to identify. Abbey Lands inside the Leuga ▲ Again from the Battle Abbey Chronicles The leuga is parcelled into wists which in other places are called virgates In Uccheham are three wists in domain There are also in Uccheham four wists and a half the holders of which shall pay for each three shillings a year and shall do in the fourth week all the labour allotted to them On the sabbath they shall go with their own horse whithersoever they are ordered. Between Hecheland and Bodeherste is one wist with the like labour and pence In Telleham are held seven wists which shall do all the labour in the manner above described But one of them is free from these labours because as often as the holder of it shall be summoned he shall go with his own horse with a monk or with any other person whithersoever he is ordered. For this service he is likewise exempt from the rent of pence Both going and returning he shall have from the Abbey an allowance for his horse He shall also have entertainment and shoes for his horse And if his horse die on the journey the monks shall make good the loss. In La Stene is one wist which pays the said pence and does the labour In Richelherste are five wists which pay the aforesaid pence and labour In Puchehole is one wist which is also subject to the labour and pence In Beche are three wists the holder of which must during half the year have ready a horse at the summons of the abbot fit for the riding of the abbot or one of his monks and as often as necessary he shall go with his horse wherever he is ordered horse shoes and nails being found at the expense of the abbot and monks. For this service he shall be free from the rent of pence but if he shall not do it he shall pay ten shillings a year for the land. In Dunintune lie three wists which pay the before mentioned rent and labour Besides these the leuga includes three woods namely Hecheland, Bodeherste and Petlee and a fourth which is called Duniford. There are likewise three orchards one adjoining the Abbey to the south another near the house called the Hospital and a third by the church of St Mary to the north where also the monks garden usually is. The Abbey has also three mills in domain Two within the leuga namely one under Loxebeche another lower down in the valley and a third partly within and partly without the leuga to the south of the Abbey at a place called Piperinge the part without the leuga being that which was exchanged with the lord of Cattesfelde for a certain little meadow lying in Bulintune near Bulworehethe Thus far of these now let us speak of the lands which are in domain within the leuga In Petlee is one wist in domain which one Oter formerly held. It consists of forty eight acres In Catecumbe are five acres lying near Wetlingetune Between Petlee and Uccheham lie forty two acres reaching to the road leading from Battel to Wetlingetune In Uccheham are three wists with the meadow called Hanwisse Bodeherstegate as far as the road near Hechilande lies a very large uncultivated plain In Hechilande are two wists In Santlache reaching as far as the infirmary are held 31 acres this place is called Dune On the other side of the way where was formerly a part of the vineyard and in Celvetege which are on the south side of the church are reckoned 36 acres. In the land of Chapenore near them are 15 acres besides 12 acres which the church of S Mary has Between Bodeherste and Hechilande and between the infirmary and Chapenore and as far as the land of Telleham are computed 37 acres. There is a certain land lying between the orchard adjoining the Abbey and the park which is on the south side It is called Quarrere and contains four acres On the other side of the road by the orchard adjacent to the hospital are two acres in Herste Near these is a messuage with two acres of land where the vestments of the monks are washed where also there are three acres more. There also on the west side are eight acres Near them towards the south there are likewise eight acres of demesne In Loxbece are held two wists On the west side of the town lie ten acres of excellent land some of which being tilled yields abundance of corn In Bretherste are eleven acres In Plesseiz the land consists of 15 acres There also near them to the north are 18 acres Besides these there are some lands which pay a rent without labour thus In Uccheham is one acre which pays 4d Near the town on the east are 11 acres belonging to the fee of Uccheham which pay 11d This land is called Cook's land Next to them lie five acres reaching to Santlache which likewise pay 5d There is also one acre where the house called the Gildhall stands Near Strellewelle are four acres which Gilbert the stranger held and his heirs after him It is called Wrench's land which also is free for the service that the tenant is bound to render with his horse to go whithersoever he is ordered as before mentioned Gildhalls and their There are two Gildhalls in the town one above mentioned in Santlache called the GILD OF ST MARTIN The other on the west side of the town at a place called Claverham And there is a third out of the town hard by the park which is below Quarrere Map of the places named inside and outside the Leuga ▲ This map shows the majority of places named in the Leuga of the Abbey as recorded in the Battle Abbey Chronicles Details of the places mentioned ▲ Battel The town of Battle first named by the Normans at the start of the building of St Martins Abbey in 1070AD which took till 1094AD to complete. The town of Battle grew up around the abbey to provide for the monks. Beche Modern Beech estate - this area is to the West of Battle near to the junction of the A271 and the B2096, generally to the north of the A271. Bodeherste or Bodehurst This area is now known as Bathurst, the original Saxon name is derived from bode and hurst derived from hyrst - A clearing in the Forest, most were settled after Domesday. Bodeherstegate This area is now known as Bathurst, the original Saxon name is derived from bode and hurst derived from hyrst - A clearing in the Forest, most were settled after Domesday, Bathehurstgate probably is the leuga boundary gate int the wood. Bretherste No modern place has been identified for this name. The element hyrst indicates a clearing in the forest, and breðer or broðor could suggest a monastic or fraternal association, possibly a hermitage or small religious house predating the Abbey. Location unknown. Catecumbe Visible on old maps as Carcombe Wood, located just north of the Whatlington road near the modern Whatlington/Leeford area. The name derives from cate cumb — the valley of the wild cat. This area can be seen on old maps as Carcombe wood National Library of Scotland, amd this can be found just north of the Whatlington road near the modern Whatlington/Leeford area. Celvetege No modern place has been identified. The name may derive from cealf tæge — the calf enclosure — suggesting it was pasture land south of the Abbey church. Location unknown. Chapenore No modern place has been identified. The element ora means a shore or bank, and ceap means a market or trading place, suggesting this may have been a trading point on a stream bank within the leuga. Location unknown. Claverham This is possibly the west side of the town where the current Claverham School is located. The name derives from clæfre hamm — the valley settlement where clover grows, but this is a settlement named after the Domesday book and when ham was being changed from its original meaning to modern hamlet. One of the two Gildhalls in the town was located here. Dune Duniford One of the three woods named within the leuga alongside Hecheland, Bodeherste and Petlee. No modern place has been identified. The name derives from dun ford — the fort near the ford — suggesting a stream crossing on the hillside within the leuga. Dunintune No modern place has been identified. The name derives from dun tun — the hill settlement — a common Saxon place name element. Its position in the Chronicles text places it within the leuga to the north. Hecheland This is most likely to be at modern Telham Hechilande This is most likely to be at modern Telham Herste This is most likely to be near Quarrie La Stene No modern place has been identified. The element stæne or stén means stony ground or a stone, possibly indicating a boundary marker or a notable stone feature within the leuga. Loxbece No modern place has been identified by this name. One of the Abbey's mills was located here — described as lying under Loxbece — suggesting a valley stream location within the leuga. The name may derive from locc bece — the enclosed stream. Petlee One of the three woods named within the leuga. The Chronicles record it as containing one wist of 48 acres in domain. No modern place has been identified, though its position in the boundary description places it to the north of the Abbey between Hecheland and Uccheham. Peperinge The Chronicles record one of the Abbey's mills here, described as partly within and partly without the leuga to the south of the Abbey. The name derives from papor ing — derived from the protected village where paper – papyrus(reed like) plants grow . This is on the south eastern edge of the leuga at Peppering near Crowhurst. Plesseiz A Norman French name rather than Saxon, deriving from plesseis — an enclosure made of interlaced branches. Its appearance here suggests it was named or renamed after the Conquest, possibly a garden enclosure within the Abbey grounds. Puchehole No modern place has been identified. The name may derive from púca hol — the pucca's hole — a common type of Saxon place name for an unusual landscape feature such as a bubbling spring. Its position in the leuga boundary description places it to the south west. Quarrere The Chronicles describe this as a piece of land of four acres lying between the orchard adjoining the Abbey and the park on the south side. The name derives from the Norman French quarrière — a quarry — suggesting stone was extracted here, possibly for the Abbey's construction. Richelherste No modern place has been identified. The element hyrst indicates a forest clearing, and ricel may derive from a personal name or from rice meaning powerful or wealthy, suggesting an established settlement within the forest. Five wists are recorded here. Santlache Santlache appears in the Abbey Chronicles as ordinary agricultural land within the leuga, with 31 acres recorded near the infirmary. The name is the Saxon precursor of the later Norman French Senlac, and has conventionally been identified as the battlefield. However the monks, writing within living memory of the battle, make no special mention of it — they record it simply as farmland with no indication that it was the site of the most significant military event in English history. This is difficult to explain if Santlache and the battlefield were the same place. For a full discussion see Senlac Hill — where is it and what does it mean? St Mary The church of St Mary is mentioned several times in the Chronicles in relation to surrounding land. One of the three Abbey orchards lay to the north of the church, where the monks' garden was also located. The church predates the Abbey and is likely to have been the existing Saxon church serving the local settlement before the Conquest. Strellewelle No modern place has been identified. The name derives from stræl wielle — the arrow spring or the straight stream spring — possibly describing a fast-flowing spring or a straight channel of water within the leuga. Four acres are recorded here held by Gilbert the stranger. Telleham Telleham is most likely to have been between Telham Hill and Telham Manor in the valley as Telham is derived from tilia meaning a cultvator of land and ham meaning a valley settlement. Uccheham This are can be found on the valley floor between Whatlington and Marley Lane, the name is derived from uck derived from aac - oak trees and ham derived from hamm - Denotes a piece of land surrounded with paling, wicker-work, etc., and so defended against water, which would otherwise wash it away, so a valley settlement or settlement with a jetty. Wetlingetune Battle and District History Society research ▲ The following link takes you the interpretation of the Abbey Lands by the Battle and District Historical Society. Please click here for the BDHS article Copyright saxonhistory.co.uk 2013 - 2026 Contact Simon Author Simon M - Last updated - 2026-03-09 09:06:34 All pages on our site (Sitemap)