The Curse
The abbey was founded by William I in performance of a vow on the site of
the battle of Hastings, but it's building progressed slowly and it was only
dedicated to St.Martin in 1094 by William II. It's religious order were Benedictine
monks from Marmoutier near Tours. It was nobly endowed, and among it's extensive
privileges was that of freedom episcopal authority, a right which involved the
abbey in interminable quarrels over a long period of time.
At the Dissolution in 1539 it was found to be one of the richest of the English
hoses and was granted to Sir Anthony Browne, Master of the Horse, who razed
the church and cloisters and converted the abbot's lodging into a dwelling-house.
It was upon him that the last monk of Battle Abbey laid a curse, saying that
the family which had despoiled the abbey should end by fire and water. Although
it took over two-hundred years for the curse to come true, it did so in 1793.
Viscount Montague, a descendent of the Browne family was drowned in an attempt
to shoot the falls of the Rhine. Just one week later, Cowdray House, seat of
the Browne family burnt to the ground leaving just the present ruins remaining.
Perhaps it was just a case of coincidence, or maybe the fire was caused by a
monk taking revenge on the Browne family at an opportune time.
To the superstitious people of those
days, it would have seemed that the curse of the Browne family had been fulfilled.
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