church were initially dedicated to St Martin, sometimes known as the "Apostle of the Gauls". The abbey was founded to commemorate the battle, and dedicated in 1095. The high altar of the Abbey church was reputedly on the spot where Harold died. The Abbey gateway is still the dominant feature of the south end of the main street, although little remains of the rest of the Abbey buildings. The remaining cloisters, part of the west range, were leased to Battle Abbey School shortly after World War I, and the school remains in occupancy to this day. Battle is famed for its old fashioned but bustling High Street, with many shops and restaurants available either side. There are three Sites of Special Scientific Interest within the parish: Blackhorse Quarry, a site of palaeontological interest which has produced many fossil bones and teeth including Iguanodon and crocodiles. Hemingfold Meadow is a site of biological interest consisting of two meadows with nationally rare grassland species. Darwell Wood is partially within the parish which is another site of biological importance as an example of hornbeam coppice with oak standards. Transport Battle is linked to Hastings and London by the A2100 (A21). This section of the A2100 was the original A21. Battle railway station (designed by William Tress) lies on the Hastings Line, north of Crowhurst and south of Robertsbridge. There was once a station known as Mountfield Halt between Battle and Robertsbridge but this closed on 6 October 1969. The station is managed by and the services are provided by Southeastern. Popular culture In Anthony Burgess' novel Earthly Powers, Battle is the hometown of its main character, Kenneth Toomey, where Toomey's father has a dental surgery. Battle is referenced frequently in songs by the alternative rock band Keane as several of the members grew up in the town. In the song "Sovereign Light Cafe" from the album Strangeland Powdermill Lane and the Battlegrounds are mentioned. Their songs "Snowed Under" and "Somewhere Only We Know" also mention the nearby woods of Manser's Shaw. British and Irish Lion Granville Coghlan was born in Battle, and later became a schoolmaster. Twin towns Battle is twinned with Saint-Valery-sur-Somme, France See also List of places of worship in Rother References External links Civil parishes in East Sussex Norman conquest of England Towns in East Sussex Market towns in East Sussex Rother District