Discover the hidden side of the 1066 town

Follow a trail with a difference around the historic town of Battle and discover larger than life scarecrows and secret places you never knew existed. Organised by Beautiful Battle* and running from the end of June to the end of July 2009, this competition has community involvement at its very core.

Different groups from every sector of Battle society have constructed 50 scarecrows from recycled materials. Each scarecrow represents the group that made it; the medieval St Mary the Virgin church, dating from 1115, has a bride and groom, The Old Court House has a judge and I bet you’ll find the odd Norman or Saxon scarecrow hanging out near the internationally famous Battle Abbey.

These straw-stuffed guides, strategically placed around the town, will lead visitors to discover surprises around every corner. In the Old Brewery Yard you’ll find the latest exhibition at the highly respected Independent Photographers Gallery ipgbattle.com; The Almonry gardens at the top of the High Street are Battle's own oasis of calm; Nobles Restaurant in the High Street has made it into the 2009 Michelin Guide; and away from the usual attractions of the Abbey and Yesterdays World, Battle Museum has the oldest Guy Fawkes effigy in England.

July really is the time to see Battle at its bloomin’ best. Running concurrently with the Scarecrow Trail is Battle’s entry for the Britain in Bloom, Champion of Champions 2009. The theme is 'Local Roots' and again the whole community, including the local secondary school, is heavily involved. The Women’s Institute is in charge of making the old jam factory look good – but they would be, wouldn’t they?!

* Beautiful Battle is the voluntary group who take responsibility for keeping the town looking good. They have just received the Queen’s Award for Voluntary Service, in recognition of the outstanding contributions made to local communities by groups voluntarily devoting their time for the benefit of others. This prestigious National Honour is the equivalent of the MBE.