attle Abbey was founded by William the Conqueror and built on the site of the Battle of Hastings. William is supposed to have made a vow to construct a monastery if he was victorious in the fight against Harold at the battle. The altar is supposed to have been built at the exact site where Harold was killed and the royal standard flag had been found on the rising ground that the Saxon King had chosen.

In a dream William had repeatedly measured out a length for the abbey of 500 feet, a foot for each year that his descendents would rule but each time when the distance was checked it was only 315 feet so 315 feet was chosen as the length of the church.

The monastery abbey was dedicated to Saint Martin and was consecrated in 1076, but building work was not completed until 1094 when it was reconsecrated in the presence of William Rufus, seven bishops and the Archbishop of Canterbury. The first monks to arrive at the abbey were from the Benedictine abbey of Marmoutier near Tours in the Loire Valley.