by Victoria Seymour
Every year, thousands of tourists from all over the world visit Battle Abbey to see the field where the famous 1066 Battle of Hastings took place. They learn not only the history of the event but also that of the ancient ruins and buildings overlooking the battlefield. 
 



Victoria                 Phil          Edwina

 On 16th July 2002, a tour of the site was made to re-discover a much more recent history than 1066.  
Our guide was Ivor White, who was born on 24th November 1926 in the Abbey Lodge, now known as "South Lodge" the Battle Abbey Estate worker’s cottage, which stands on the brink of the battlefield.
Ivor, whose father and grandfather were employed as gardeners to the estate, grew up with this momentous field and its surrounding slopes and woods as his playground. Ivor’s guests for the tour were Phil Farlow, occasional Big Band and Swing presenter with BBC Southern Counties Radio, his wife Edwina, and Victoria Seymour, writer for www. hastings.uk.net.  

       As we strolled among the abbey ruins, declared by Phil to be “absolutely stunning”, it was impossible not to be overwhelmed by the history in which the walls are steeped. Ivor’s commentary made the mobile guide phones almost redundant, particularly as he had so much history of his own to recount.

We were interested to see the Battle guide booklet he had put together with a printer friend, just after WWII.
Ivor, a former press photographer, had taken all of the pictures; these now have a vintage charm and value of their own. 


"Absolutely stunning" ! 

 
Examining Ivor's old  booklet of Battle


Ivor told us some of the history of the house, as a family residence, when his father and grandfather worked in the walled gardens and their now demolished green houses, to provide every horticultural need and luxury for their employers, in and out of season. The dairy and ice house are also attractive reminders of the days when great estates were self sufficient.


The Dairy


Most poignant was our visit to Ivor’s childhood home. As we entered the rear gate he told us that it was the first time he has done so since 1946. The old fashioned outhouse cum scullery was where Ivor’s father, Percival, also a very well known local photographer at the time, developed his pictures by candlelight, and still in the corner is the bricked copper, where grandmother did the household laundry. There were few changes to the exterior of the lodge, and Ivor was pleased to see that the front door’s ornate, wrought iron hinges, are still intact.

As Phil stood to reflect, Ivor took a picture that shows that he has not lost his touch for an atmospheric shot.

 


Following in father's footsteps

Reflections

Childhood Home


 On our journey back to the main gates of the Abbey, Edwina translated for us the French inscription on the stone that marks the spot where, as legend has it, King Harold fell. It is nearly a thousand years after the event but there were tributes of fresh flowers at the foot of the stone. Our tour ended with a walk on top of the broad, Abbey walls. Less venturesome, Victoria took the Camellia Walk beneath, named from the grove of trees that border the walls.

 

If we were in sombre mood it was soon dispelled by lunch at the Pilgrims Rest, a 13th century hostelry in the shadow of the majestic Abbey gates. An excellent meal and a few glasses of Pino Grigio found us in a facetious mood. We retired to the restaurant’s lofty vestibule for coffee and Phil, life-long soundman that he is, was attracted to an elegant, 1930’s cabinet gramophone in the corner. With tender and practised skill, Phil set it in motion and it produced tinny, wavering music, to the consternation of staff and the merriment of Ivor and his guests.

 

The rare, July day of cloudless sunshine, the company, and the feeling of privilege, given to us because of Ivor’s special connection with Battle Abbey, resulted in a memorable day.

Thanks are due to the Battle Abbey Management for allowing Ivor to show us around this magical place

     Click here  to view the  Battle guide  booklet mentioned in this text