Battle Abbey School
Encyclopedia
Battle Abbey School is an independent
coeducational day and boarding school
in the small town of Battle, East Sussex
, England
. The senior school occupies part of the town's ruined abbey complex, and it is from here that the school derives its name. The school prides itself on its high academic standards, and intimate family atmosphere.
invader William the Conqueror to commemorate his victory at the site over the Anglo-Saxon King of England, Harold Godwinson
in 1066 AD. Subsequently the abbey was partially destroyed during the dissolution of the Monasteries
under King Henry VIII
. During this period many of the Abbey buildings were destroyed but the impressive 13th century Abbot’s house was preserved and passed into private hands. The school took over the property in 1922 and has been in continuous occupation since that date. The aforementioned Abbot's house now forms the centrepiece of the senior school, with the preparatory school and nursery situated in the nearby town of Bexhill-on-Sea
.
Independent school (UK)
An independent school is a school that is not financed through the taxation system by local or national government and is instead funded by private sources, predominantly in the form of tuition charges, gifts and long-term charitable endowments, and so is not subject to the conditions imposed by...
coeducational day and boarding school
Boarding school
A boarding school is a school where some or all pupils study and live during the school year with their fellow students and possibly teachers and/or administrators. The word 'boarding' is used in the sense of "bed and board," i.e., lodging and meals...
in the small town of Battle, East Sussex
Battle, East Sussex
Battle is a small town and civil parish in the local government district of Rother in East Sussex, England. It lies south southeast of London, east of Brighton and east of the county town of Lewes...
, England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
. The senior school occupies part of the town's ruined abbey complex, and it is from here that the school derives its name. The school prides itself on its high academic standards, and intimate family atmosphere.
History
The Abbey was initially constructed at the behest of the NormanNormans
The Normans were the people who gave their name to Normandy, a region in northern France. They were descended from Norse Viking conquerors of the territory and the native population of Frankish and Gallo-Roman stock...
invader William the Conqueror to commemorate his victory at the site over the Anglo-Saxon King of England, Harold Godwinson
Harold Godwinson
Harold Godwinson was the last Anglo-Saxon King of England.It could be argued that Edgar the Atheling, who was proclaimed as king by the witan but never crowned, was really the last Anglo-Saxon king...
in 1066 AD. Subsequently the abbey was partially destroyed during the dissolution of the Monasteries
Dissolution of the Monasteries
The Dissolution of the Monasteries, sometimes referred to as the Suppression of the Monasteries, was the set of administrative and legal processes between 1536 and 1541 by which Henry VIII disbanded monasteries, priories, convents and friaries in England, Wales and Ireland; appropriated their...
under King Henry VIII
Henry VIII of England
Henry VIII was King of England from 21 April 1509 until his death. He was Lord, and later King, of Ireland, as well as continuing the nominal claim by the English monarchs to the Kingdom of France...
. During this period many of the Abbey buildings were destroyed but the impressive 13th century Abbot’s house was preserved and passed into private hands. The school took over the property in 1922 and has been in continuous occupation since that date. The aforementioned Abbot's house now forms the centrepiece of the senior school, with the preparatory school and nursery situated in the nearby town of Bexhill-on-Sea
Bexhill-on-Sea
Bexhill-on-Sea is a town and seaside resort in the county of East Sussex, in the south of England, within the District of Rother. It has a population of approximately 40,000...
.