Battle of Hastings

The date 1066 marks the last time Britain was successfully invaded; the enmity between the British and French has continued unabated for almost a thousand years, although now it at least has jocular overtones and is more likley to involve lambasting cuisine than skulls.

On 13th October 1066, a weary Harold, not so fresh from the Battle of Stamford Bridge, gathered whatever troops he could and set up camp on a hill some miles from the coast to face the fresh and determined Norman force headed by William.

The forces were fairly evenly matched and as the next day dawned, the Normans let loose their archers. The salvo was ineffective and skirmishes ensued. But the invaders discovered that by repeatedly feigned retreat, they could draw the aggressive English into pursuit time after time, before turning about heel and slaughtering them. In the final watch of the day, both sides heavily weakened, a second volley of Norman arrows struck home, famously hitting King Harold in the eye. He met his death along in the subsequent charge which broke the English ranks and secured victory for the Normans.

The site is commemorated in the name of the town, Battle, about 6 miles north of Hastings itself. Battle Abbey sits on the site of the actual battlefiled, which can be toured either independently or with the aid of an audio guide.