LET BATTLE BEGIN 44 Heritage December 2010 heritagemagazine.co.uk
T O TA L G U I D E 1066 COUNTRY The Battle of Hastings England has been the setting of many battles through the centuries, but few are as famous as the Battle of Hastings. We sent historian Jim Bradbury to the famous battlefield and abbey to relive the events that changed the course of English history FEATURE OPENER: NTPL/MATTHEW ANTROBUS, GEOFFREY FROSH, RUPERT TRUMAN,ALAMY, ENGLISH HERITAGE. CHRIS GEORGE, MEDIASTORE No trip to 1066 Country is complete without a trip to its famous battlefield and abbey, which provided the backdrop for the Battle of Hastings and put this stretch of East Sussex coast and countryside on the map. In order to appreciate the significance of the events that took place on the battlefield, one first needs to understand three things: the Viking expansion, the divisions within England and the rise of Normandy. The Viking expansion was one cause of the crisis in England in 1066. The Vikings won much of eastern England during the previous two centuries and, with Cnut in charge, took over the whole kingdom in 1016. Scandinavian rule continued until 1042 when Harthacnut died and his chosen successor, Edward the Confessor son of Aethelred II, became king. Edward was childless and so three contenders for the succession emerged. The Scandinavian claimant was Hardrada, King of Norway. He invaded England in September 1066 and established himself near York. He allied with Godwinson s discontented brother, Tostig. The second claimant was Harold Godwinson, son of the powerful Godwin, Earl of Wessex, and brother of the Confessor s widow Edith. Godwinson was sucessful and became king as Harold II. The third claimant was William, duke of Normandy, who maintained that Edward had promised him the throne and planned to invade in order to claim his title. A WORTHY ADVERSARY Harold II marched north and defeated Hardrada at Stamford Bridge in Yorkshire where Hardrada and Tostig were killed. Harold II returned south to face the recently arrived William of Normandy. William had inherited Normandy as an illegitimate minor and had fought off internal rebellions and external threats. The Norman dukes were of Viking descent. Facing page: an archer hopes his aim is true during a reenactment of the Battle of Hastings, held annually on the original battlefield. This page: view of Battle town, abbey and battlefield heritagemagazine.co.uk December 2010 Heritage 45
T O TA L G U I D E 1066 COUNTRY The Battle of Hastings certainty of the positions during the battle this is part of the land where the fighting occurred, with the town of Hastings some eight miles away. A more contemporary label was Senlac (sand-lake), but the location is unknown. We do know that the English assembled at nearby Caldbec Hill. The earliest source on Hastings was the Anglo-Saxon Chronicle, which stated that William came against Harold at the hoary apple tree. The author who places the battle on the abbey hill is the monk who wrote the Battle Abbey Chronicle a century after the event. Either the Normans attacked Caldbec Hill, as the Anglo- Saxon Chronicle suggests, or else the English moved on from their assembly point to the traditional hill site and were attacked there by the Normans. A stone monument where the abbey altar stood supposedly marks the spot where Harold was killed. Study of old and new maps gives some indication of the nature of the land, including lakes, woods and pathways relevant to understanding the troop movements. Caldbec fits better with mentions of woodland and a lake in Duniford Wood and Oakwood Pool. Building work had started on the abbey by 1070 as a result of William s desire for a monastery to commemorate his victory. It was called the abbey de bello Battle Abbey, though it is also known as St Martin s Abbey. A town grew up outside the main abbey gate Building work had started on the abbey by1070asaresultofwilliam sdesirefor a monastery to commemorate his victory and beside the road from Hastings. In modern times the abbey building has become a school. It is well preserved and still has its walls, great gate and abbot s hall, as well as its extensive grounds. The town of Battle itself has many other attractions including the medieval church of St Mary s with its 13th-century paintings, while Battle Museum has the remains of the head of a battle axe, almost certainly used by one of the Saxon housecarls in the doomed defence of the ridge. THE STORY CONTINUES Those interested in working out the battle movements can take a walk around the site, observing the surviving countryside, looking for anything mentioned in the sources, such as hill, woods, lakes or paths, for lines of movement. Although there has always been great interest in the battle, little relevant evidence has been found, despite several archaeological digs taking place in and around the abbey, but there is always the possibility of new evidence emerging. h Clockwise from below: Norman battle shields; the abbey s vaulted north chamber in the east range is thought to have been the monks common room; William the Conqueror triumphantly leads his army into London; the 14thcentury gatehouse was a symbol of wealth and power 48 Heritage December 2010 heritagemagazine.co.uk