Battle is steeped in history such as it is so close to Hastings and the site of that famous battle…read morein 1066. Yesterday's World is a shopping arcade come cafe with a selection of displays to keep you interested. It's a perfectly good way of whiling away half an hour over a cup of tea after a hard day's history.

A lovely property to wander round, we attended during the battle reinactment which made for a…read morelovely day out (held in October). As well as the Abbey there is also a small restaurant selling locally sourced produce, it can be a bit pricey however. Butyou can picnic in the grounds if it's a nice day. For the kids there's plenty of room for them to run around, an interactive museum and a themed playground.

After William the Conqueror had invaded Great Britain and made it his home he built the Battle…read moreAbbey to commemorate his victory. The Abbey is a truly an interesting site to visit because he built it on the exact spot where he first set foot on British soil. I don't want to go into much detail about the battle but if ancient history is a forte yours as it is mine then highlights of the visit include an interactive audio visual interpretation of the battle.

To me revisiting the caves was a real disappointment - although my kids thought it was fine. The…read morecaves are dry sandstone in the top of the West hill near the castle. years ago you would be taken around with a rather crusty old guide with a lantern and there was real atmosphere to them. it used to be a little scary. Unfortunately it is now occupied by the Smugglers adventure which has basically brough t many of the seaside arcade games up from the front into the caves. There is still a sort of interactive history trail which reacts as you move round but it is a bit of a sorry affair. The caves were used during the war as shelters, and prior to that by smugglers. Since then theey used to be used for dances rright up to the eighties when there were discos in the caves - which keep an even temperature all year and keep thee noise down for locals. I love these caves (5 for the caves - much of which you can still see) but hated the attraction thing (2 for the attraction). Maybe I am just getting old. The kids did want to go again!

It's great walking around here and looking at old costumes, dating back as far as the 17th century!…read moreEveryday items along with work outfits and costumes. There are also collections housed inside relating to technology and all sorts of other objects. It's a very interesting trip where a lot can be learnt about fashion, fabrics and other items and objects from several decades. Would be great for fashion students!

Formerly the site of the Royal Observatory (from 1958-1990), the site is now run by a charity as a…read morevenue for exhibitions, lectures and educational programmes. The renovated telescopes can be visited by the public, for school visits, and are used by colleges and astronomical societies. It makes a great fun-but-educational family day out. Most people associate the Royal Observatory with Greenwich, where it was founded by Charles II in 1675. It was increasingly recognised that London was not a good location due to light and atmospheric pollution, and the effects of vibrations from rising road and rail traffic. Plans were made to relocate the observatory in the 1930s; transfer began to the new site at Herstmonceux in 1947 and was completed in 1958. The complex of buildings was constructed to house three reflecting and three refracting telescopes in six domes, of brick and concrete with green copper domes and balustraded balconies, with adjoining support buildings, all set around a central ornamental pond. These are themselves classic examples of 1950s architecture. The telescopes were joined in 1967 by the giant 98-inch Isaac Newton Telescope (INT) once housed in the silver dome to the south of the main complex. The UK was never an ideal site for astronomical observations because of the preponderance of cloud, and over time, increasing light pollution from Eastbourne. The growth of cheap air travel in the 1960s enabled astronomers to travel to parts of the world with clearer skies and in 1984 the INT telescope was moved to the Canary Islands. Eventually, the decision was taken to close the site and move the remaining staff to the Institute of Astronomy at the University of Cambridge. The site reopened in its current guise in 1995 and the site, including the telescopes, was refurbished in 2004. Visitors now enter through the eastern grounds of Herstmonceux Castle (itself now a college of Queen's College, Ontario). Car parking is available in a small car park but in summer most park on the lawn in front. The ticket office at the entrance houses a small shop with merchandise aimed at children and young people, covering a range of scientific subjects. Numbers are limited, so advanced booking is strongly recommended. There are guided tours of the telescopes (which take about half an hour) and separate science demonstrations. The site has both indoor and outdoor hands-on activities for children (of all ages!) covering aspects of science and engineering - a bit like a small hands-on science museum. We found the volunteer staff to be friendly and knowledgeable, and the sessions were very interactive for the children. We happily spent a couple of hours there. There is a small cafe on site, serving drinks and a limited range of snacks. The site is on several levels and has a lot of steps and gravel pathways, but there are ramps for level access and a disabled toilet: more details are on the main website. Children must be accompanied and supervised by an adult at all times, and dogs are not admitted (except assistance dogs). As well as being open for general visits, there are periodic stargazing evenings: numbers are also limited for these and need to be booked in advance.

This is such an interesting place to take the kids for some star-gazing. They are so good at…read morekeeping everyone's attention on the go (things like this can get a bit boring). There's so many different night and daytime events on offer here and a lot of them depend on weather and, of course the stars but we had a great night there and got to see so many beautiful sights. There's a fantastic shop to pop into at the end of the day with some really interesting and informative books to buy.

A great day out. This museum details everything you could possibly want to know, in an interesting…read moreand informative manner.

This was closed for a while but is now back open and has had a complete overhaul, thanks to some…read moreLottery money, and it's brilliant now ! Lots of interactive displays to keep the kids happy, very hands on so they won't get told off for touching things or even trying on the clothes ! A great way to while away a rainy afternoon and it's all free too ! Bargain !

We did lots of castles, cathedrals and abbeys on this years Road Trip through England and Scotland…read more And this here was one of the finest we've encountered. We came by car, there's a huge parking lot with even some options at the shade. If you're a member then parking and entrance is free (scan your card for free parking). At the entrance there's a ticket office, a fine little restaurant and some shops. It's a short walk to the wonderful castle. Pretty flat and goes around the whole site. Dogs are allowed - our Bulldog had a great time. And not just our Bulldog; we did as well. It's a fantastic, well-preserved and well taken care of castle. With the mout surrounding it, it looks just like a "typical" castle you'd imagine. It was built from 1380-1385. By by Sir Edward Dallingridge. He was even promoted by King Richard II himself. So this castle here belonged to a person of great importance. Be sure to check out the interiour as well. It's a stunner from outside, but it's really worth your time going in and on top of it for some great views. There are lots of facilities on the site and also picnic spots with views of the castle. A great place to spend a few hours. One of the highlight of our Road Trip surely. Staff was very friendly and helpful. And be sure to grab a bite at the restaurant by the entrance (jacket potatoes were great).

This is what a castle should look like. Tall towers, complete ramparts, portcullis, drawbridge and…read morea huge moat. It's every child's dream! Built in 1385, it functioned as both castle and a comfortable late mediaeval home. Now owned by the National Trust, it is set in lovely well-maintained grounds which are perfect for a family picnic. In the summer, there are lots of activities going on (check website for details), with people dressing up as mediaeval knights, jousting and cool stuff like that. For the adults there are also occasional concerts. The site is very family friendly, with the information office supplying all kinds of material to help children (of all ages!) enjoy their visit, and to stimulate their imaginations. The website has excellent information about access for wheel-chair users. The site has ample car-parking, and is close to some other excellent attractions - the Kent & East Sussex preserved steam railway, and the village of Battle where William the Conqueror beat the Anglo-Saxons in 1066.

Along with the Fishermen's Museum (next door, basically), the Shipwreck Museum is the second small…read moremuseum in Hastings that deals with the town's history as a port. As the name suggests, it is concerned with shipwrecks, excavations, and other artefacts rescued from the sea near Hastings. It's not quite as tiny as the Fishermen's Museum, but also free of charge. Don't expect to spend more than half an hour (at most) in this place, but when you're in Hastings anyway you should drop by.