Page:Notes on the churches in the counties of Kent, Sussex, and Surrey.djvu/239

Rh ranges eastward with the principal one. There are several small portions of coloured glass. Much of the outer wall exhibits rubble masonry; the remainder is faced with ashlar. Brasses: a man in armour, fifteenth century (W. Arnold, Horsfield's Suss.); a priest later. —Of the beautiful abbey gateway, which remains entire, a small portion of the front shows rubble masonry and a Norm. buttress. The prominent part of the remainder is Dec. In the boundary wall towards and opposite the church are also several Norm. buttresses. Beside the grand gateway, which highly ornaments the street of Battle, there are many vestiges of the abbey buildings in the mansion and private grounds of Sir G. Webster, Bart., for a description of which see Parry (Coast of Sussex, 316, &c.)—Kilburne asserts (under Wye, p. 298) that this place was named Herst before the foundation of the abbey. For this however he adduces no authority, and his statement is at variance with that of Ordericus Vitalis (quoted in Thorpe's Lappenberg, II, 301, note ²), who mentions "Senlacium bellum,—the battle at Senlac," and "ad locum qui Senlac antiquitus vocabatur,—at the place which was anciently called Senlac." Thorpe's addition to the above note is, "In middle-age latinity bellum is commonly used for prælium?' Parry says (Coast of Sussex, 310) that, before the battle of Hastings, the name of the village here was "Epyton," but neither does he give any authority. In (D. B.) the titles bestowed are, "The Abbey of St. Martin of the place of the Battle," and "The Church of the Battle. Abbatia Sancti Martini de loco belli; Sancti Martini de Labatailge;" and "Æcclesia de la Batailge."—The high altar of the abbey church marked the spot on which Harold's standard was erected, (where "Harold and his standard fell," Gough, quoted in Monast. III, 233;) and where, after the victory, was placed William's "consecrated banner," presented to him by the Pope. (Thorpe's Lappenberg, II, 301, 288.)—The consecration of the abbey did not take place till February 1094 (that is, 1095 new style) when the king, William Rufus, was at Hastings on his route into Normandy. "Then went the king to Heestinga at Candlemas; and while he waited there for a favourable wind, he gave permission for the consecration of the monastery at the place of the Battle." (Gibs. Chron. Sax. 200.) The abbey was exempted by K. William I from all episcopal jurisdiction, and received, in fact, almost 13