It's a struggle to get a place near Hastings (6)
I believe the answer is:
battle
This might be a double definition.
'it's a struggle' is the first definition.
(a struggle or ordeal might be called a battle)
'hastings' is the second definition.
(thesaurus)
'to get a place near' acts as a link.
I am not very happy about this link. Some or all of it may belong to one of the definitions.
Can you help me to learn more?
(Other definitions for battle that I've seen before include "Difficult conflict or struggle" , "Skirmish" , "A fight between large forces" , "Fight, combat" , "Fight between opponents" .)