Pevensey, which had sprung up on the outskirts of the ruined Anderida, and that they both belonged to the same chieftain Bertwald.
As to the origin of the name, there are three hypothesis. One connecting it with that of the river Asten , which, taking its rise in a meadow immediately to the west of the gateway of Battle Abbey, flows through Crowhurst, where there is a bridge still called the Haven bridge,and discharges itself into the sea at Bopeep, just to the west of St. Leonards. Here,sheltered by the heights on the west, it formed a harbour once of importance, known as Bulwer Hythe.
This corrupted into Bull's hide, gave rise to a legend still firmly believed hereabouts, which is an exact travestie of Virgil's Story of Dido's acquiring the site of Carthage.
The second hypothesis refers the name to the Viking Hastings,who, A.D. 930 , spread the terror of his name along the coasts of France and England,and made repeated descents on their regions. The Danish element in our population may be due to one of these incursions. He was won over in his old age to become a Vassal of France by the grant of fair demesnes on the Loire, and did the French good service in their wars with his countrymen, the Normans; and, had his prudent counsels been adopted, the progress of Rollo might have been staid, but the Franks suspected Hasting as a traitor, and soon he mysteriously disappeared from their camp and was heard of no more. The aged warrior may have e more visited our coast, and ending his days here, have perpetuated his name in these vales.
