Crowhurst 'Abbey' - The Legacy of William the Conqueror?

William the Conqueror pledged to build an abbey on the very site of his famous victory at the Battle of Hastings. Crowhurst appears to be the first attempt, according to the Chronicle of Battle Abbey, before construction was moved to a more builder-friendly location a few miles away at the modern-day town of Battle. That being the case, the battle can't have been fought at 'Battle' so ancient efforts were made in the Chronicle to reinvent the battle location for tax exemption purposes....

[@DCShaneTours]

You have a very strong and compelling case, and I actually think your interpretation is the truth. Great job, keep fighting for the truth.

[@darrenanderson1048]

Great video, personally I’m convinced the battle was at Crowhurst.

[@patrickbarrett5650]

So, are the bodies buried under the foundations of THIS abbey? It would explain a lot. Excellent work, very necessary. 👏🏻

[@russellpaddon2982]

Good point.

[@jgvgjv2980]

I believe your analysis is correct, the established history and their backers will insist the current facts are correct but you and your team have proven this is not true, keep going!

[@johnbarrington-carver1195]

THe undisputed fact that the coast line was much different in 1066 supports the Crowhurst hypothesis. I believe that sufficient information has been found to justify serious archeological work. Perhaps the National Lottery could fund it? Obviously English Heritage are unlikely to want to!!!

[@abcdedfg8340]

Maybe the locals of crowhurst were happy to let battle take the credit as the spot to avoid the tourists. And the tourists preferred battle as its easier to visit lol. The monks also probably preferred the main road site, easier to go out and about.

[@kelrogers8480]

Proven?!

[@rosswenman8499]

Keep going, all the battle secrets will come your way, then as you have said all a long, this is the real Abby site and the real battle. keep up your great work.

[@brianaustin8989]

Spent many happy times in Crowhurst village. My mothers sister, was headmistress of the C of E school their, from 1947-1966 retirement, a short walk from the church/abbey ruins. She did write a history of the church, which is still available in the church I believe, her name Miss M Newman B A. She lived in Old Sop Cottage about 200 yards up Sampsons Lane on the right.

[@lincolncity9]

I'm hoping to organise a walk from Stamford Bridge in Yorkshire down to Crowhurst/Battle in Sussex in the footsteps of King Harold in the near future if anyone is interested.

[@SKEPGFX]

I'll be the Norman lol. I live in Hastings only seems reasonable lol

[@tahnx47]

Sure

[@5grasmere]

Did you do it?

[@TheBlackbelair]

I would like to know as well.

[@tahnx47]

@@TheBlackbelair no

[@tooyoungtobeold8756]

I was there yesterday (Sept 16 2020) and the owners of the 'Abbey' have planted a huge conifer type hedge around the garden. You can still see the remains behind you though.

[@abcdedfg8340]

I guess the owners want tourists just as much as the locals probably did if its the real site lol.

[@tooyoungtobeold8756]

English Heritage and the town of Battle have a lot to lose if the truth is believed by the masses. How cool to have the Abbey remains in your back garden.

[@abcdedfg8340]

Doesnt seem like crowhurst is too enthusiastic to take its crown. Maybe the locals don't really want to become a tourist spot?

[@vespelian]

I visited the Battle Abbey sight in 2001 and was struck by the absence of any feeling of great events having transpired there, having been assured that a momentous and bloody battle took place. I was surprised by your research as I had assumed the events were solidly settled. However inspired me to visited Crowhurst with friends, in the year of the lesser pestilence MMXX, and the feeling is very different, so much so that we became convinced that bloodshed on a big scale occurred at that place, something subsequent findings have vindicated.

[@railway-share3820]

I've passed both places many times and got no impression of anything from either place. Except perhaps when I was repointing the perimeter walls at Battle Abbey. The autumn mist creeping up from the battlefield and swirling among the ruins early in a morning.....

[@steveevans444]

It so obviously all fits together.

[@andrewemery8495]

Excellent presentation. I am convinced.

[@ohjules58]

Excellently filmed, as always. Looking forward to hearing about the results of the resistivity survey which should tell us more about this very interesting building. Who is going to assess them?

[@electrobolt9962]

Julian Humphrys your mum

[@fijiarc2090]

@@electrobolt9962 Grow up you sad little goblin.

[@electrobolt9962]

@@fijiarc2090You took that very personally

[@buzzard109e]

totally convinced !! well done guys !!

[@hirundine44]

I find the old site of Dover and the bay around interesting, Best wishes... follow with interest. Thanks.

[@lincolncity9]

I've been paying to visit Senlac hill many times over the years!

[@editorinformal873]

Has there ever been any archeological findings in battle ? According to some research NOT, what would reinforce your thesis.

[@Nebraska214]

Ever did a Geophysical Investigation inside the Abbey in Crowhurst?

[@karlforrester3522]

Very interesting keep going I hope to see you proven right good luck all the best fubar

[@adamant5419]

It is an interesting theory, one that has been argued about for years. Good food for thought.

[@royrj5517]

Fascinating, I too, seeing the evidence, believe this to be true.

[@alanleeder5180]

This was 10yrs ago, what happened to the follow up video????

[@prinkipo1917]

Much as I like Nick Austin's theory regarding the site of the battle, there does seem to be a problem with this part of it. Churches are aligned east-west, normally reasonably accurately. You can clearly see that the 12th century church next door to the manor house ruin is aligned east-west, which in turn shows how far out of alignment the manor house/alleged original abbey is. A manor would not have worried about that alignment, but a supposed abbey surely would have done, and indeed the abbey at Battle is east-west aligned.

[@majorsterling9889]

Not that Wikipedia is really an authority, but the following is a true phenomenon: "On the northern hemisphere the north is to the left, the Sun rises in the east (far arrow), culminates in the south (to the right) while moving to the right and sets in the west (near arrow). Both rise and set positions are displaced towards the north in summer, and towards the south for the winter track." Also, see solar-center.stanford.edu/AO/sunrise.html. Many UK churches are aligned more sloppily than the 'Manor' at Crowhurst. So any church alignments in ancient times may well have varied according to the time of year.

[@henrybowden9907]

Having just found this video and read many of the comments, I would like to add my own: I live in Bristol and, having looked at ten Christian churches of all ages around the city, NOT ONE was aligned correctly east-west. I used Google maps and I verified my findings with the Ordnance Survey maps - which can most certainly be relied upon. So I'm afraid your argument about the foundations of the putative abbey not being correctly aligned fall apart. I suggest you try doing a little research yourself and you may see that not many churches are aligned dead east-west. I suspect the time of year at which the foundations were marked out before building began played a large part in the alignment of every Christian place of worship.

[@emjdeckwitz6949]

Wonderful! Only the loud music spoils it to a large degree. Now start digging, ffs!

[@petenorwood5995]

Excellent!

[@ramfan010]

Would be better without the fisheye lens on the drone.

[@williambagley5415]

Wonderful!

[@fijiarc2090]

You hardly filmed the battlefield when flying?

[@christophermunn3819]

Do you have any written records for anything?

[@jamesraper433]

Sadly this is not a credible site for the battle. One would have to assume that Harold was a very inept military commander to have chosen this place to fight the Normans. The drone footage clearly shows why. The malfosse provides good protection to the left but the right side of Harold's shield wall was wide open to a flanking movement by William's horse, of which he had about 2000 or more. Harold was well aware of their reputation and, indeed, had seen them in action in Normandy when he was a "guest" of the Duke. Why would Harold abandon an eminently defensive position at Battle to give William such an advantage at Crowhurst?

[@nateweter4012]

Also, this “abbey” is a very well documented manor house built in 1250. I’m not sure why Nick keeps trying to claim there’s little known about it. It has an entire record. If you really dig deep into his theories, they start to fall apart. That and the whole video he put out claiming to have found William then Conqueror’s helmet sunk any credibility he had. It wasn’t in Crowhurst. Somewhere between battle abbey and Calbec Hill is my guess.

[@theunionofjackbeanie2464]

We now know that Battle Abbey is not the battlefield,so why not Crowhurst.

[@Rich6Brew]

Who's 'we'?

[@theunionofjackbeanie2464]

@@Rich6Brew Well Time team for one.

[@Anglisc1682]

@@Rich6Brew There's absolutely no archaeological evidence or any other evidence really for the Battle theory, but plenty for the Crowhurst one.

[@tooyoungtobeold8756]

What about Caldbec Hill as the site? Steep hill, Norman knights couldn't make a full charge etc.

[@Gambantein]

What does the Domesday book say about this?

[@weet-bix1965]

My ancestor was knighted by King William the 1st...sir Robert D'oily,who castle is Oxford castle

[@jimmycakes7158]

It does seem out of place for a building of that size to be there

[@williamkaczmarek3996]

Not to be a doubting Thomas but where are the thousands of bodies buried?

[@andrewemery8495]

Well, they're certainly not at Battle Abbey....

[@trauthor9281]

They are clearly shown in the Malfosse in another video of this series, just as described in the texts. They are huge mounds obviously of the period, which would defy other explanations, but for some blasted reason, not investigated. And to an outside observer who has now seen plenty of material on the subject from different perspectives, there are so many smoking guns that lend credit to this man’s theory, I can’t understand how other people don’t see the validity of it. I have to think there are just too many arbitrary reasons for detractors, honestly it seems either lazy, curmudgeonly, or politically motivated. The man has published a ton of work on the subject, to me the video evidence alone is compelling.

[@islanddweller3674]

@@trauthor9281 Excellent and sadly all too accurate,,, Be content that YOU know all you know

[@kingmaker2865]

If you have the right site.. you will find artifacts. Then you will know for sure.... until then keep up the good work . I can see this being a Bosworth mk2

[@SKEPGFX]

Funnily enough right next to this site in these fields Norman era helmets have been found along with arrowheads etc. Lots of amazing stuff. The Critics ignore the evidence as per usual

[@peetyw8851]

Show us the evidence in situ.

[@DarkMatterX1]

Didn't they find Richard's insignia in a farmer's field like 2 miles away from the historic "bosworth battlefield"?

[@kingmaker2865]

@@DarkMatterX1 yes they found a silver household badge worn by one of his men at arms.. the actual battlefield is 2miles from the previous thought one

[@DarkMatterX1]

@@kingmaker2865 Sorry for reviving a 2 year old thread. I remember reading that they found the badge while I was researching Philippa Langley's work for the exhumation of Richard III's remains. Point being, it's just as likely, maybe even moreso, that they're wrong about the location of the Hastings battlefield. It's four and a quarter centuries older and less documented. Even if the entire story of Bosworth and it's aftermath is entirely Tudor Propaganda.

[@peetyw8851]

It may well be that you are absolutely correct; however, if you would cite references regarding how one can tell us that certain foundations were from a building with round arches, how Crowhurst was pronounced back in the day, etc, etc, you would move gain more credibility. Evidence is largely lacking from the presentation, but grousing about those mean old establishment types discounting your ideas rises to a significant theme of the endeavor. Cherry

[@tahnx47]

He has already mentioned in his other video that during the time, it was pronounced as Curst

[@peetyw8851]

Thank you for responding. It would be more convincing to me to cite a reference. A very interesting subject.

[@crose7412]

@@tahnx47 Crursed not Curst.

[@Anglisc1682]

@@crose7412 Neither

[@kevin5073]

When ALL the parts fit, then the answer is clear.

[@nigellapaul6787]

How many Nick Austin's are there ?

[@matthewperry5121]

Awsome mister

[@Panzerlang]

Nailed it. :)

[@nigellapaul6787]

Have you found one arrow head ?

[@tahnx47]

They already have on the saxon defence line

[@nayncat17]

Apparently my ancestors served under William

[@Ghosts-of-York]

most interesting and nice views

[@paulharris3138]

There's a plaque on fence around tree that reads it could be 1300 years old

[@dennistorrance1103]

So do believe this about the real battle site the music was it John Barry

[@RTD553]

A 2000 year old tree - yeah, OK. Evidence?

[@prosodiclearning]

wHAT A GEM

[@e-4airman124]

Queen should fund finding the true site she has lots of $

[@bibtebo]

His theory is littered with inconsistencies and contradiction. Just stumbled across this channel and already call bs you said in roundabout video that it could not be the battle site as its a steep hill. I'm sorry that hill is the same gradient as Crowhurst, I know as I lived there for two years.

[@geoffhunter7704]

Wm 1st,Wm 2nd and most of Henry 1st,s building rolls are missing!

[@christophermunn3819]

You said yourself the monks built the abbey in the wrong place, this must mean that Crowhurst is not the right place.

[@1220b]

All the wide music, air photos, etc don't make evidence. Also the bayeux tapestry is in fact an embroidery. Please use its correct title and manufacturing medium. But you know what as a military archaeologist of 30 years + they might have an avenue of interest here and I would never say no. But this video is far too dramatic and emotional. Tone it down and stick to the facts lose the fancy music and drone footage and you might get more on your side.. .... good luck with your research.

[@islanddweller3674]

emroidery and tapestry are synonyms. ie one is a form of the other.. What a nasty post NB music can and often is turned down ....Loved the video WISHED I were there.... THANK YOU

[@vaughnblaylock6069]

What an absurd comment. Embroidery was how a tapestry was made. The footage is absolute relevant. Are you just grumpy all the time?

[@markgarin6355]

If the chronical of battle Abby is full of crap, why believe that there was an Abby anywhere? The writers we're saving their own ass not documenting history

[@karlcolt]

LOL!! Load of bollocks!!! NO PROOF!!!!! That ruin looks to me that it is not an ABBEY, it's a MANOR HOUSE!!!!!

[@Anglisc1682]

Why don't you provide an explanation as to why you think it's bullshit? Even though there's written, pictoral, archarological evidence for it being at Crowhurst? There's no evidence of it being at Battle, that's pretty clear...