Battle of Hastings 1066
Listed on the National Heritage List for England. Search over 400,000 listed places
Overview
- Heritage Category:
- Battlefield
- List Entry Number:
- 1000013
- Date first listed:
- 06-Jun-1995
Location
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Discover moreOfficial list entry
- Heritage Category:
- Battlefield
- List Entry Number:
- 1000013
- Date first listed:
- 06-Jun-1995
- Location Description:
- HASTINGS
The scope of legal protection for listed buildings
This list entry identifies a battlefield which is registered because of its special historic interest.
The scope of legal protection for listed buildings
This list entry identifies a battlefield which is registered because of its special historic interest.
Location
The building or site itself may lie within the boundary of more than one authority.
- County:
- East Sussex
- District:
- Rother (District Authority)
- Parish:
- Battle
- National Grid Reference:
- TQ7453215562
Details
BATTLE OF HASTINGS
1066
William, Duke of Normandy, had decided to take by force the crown of England, which he had been denied by Harold Godwineson's enthronement in January 1066. His invasion fleet landed at Pevensey on 28th September 1066. When news reached Harold returning from his victory at Stamford Bridge in Yorkshire, he marched hurriedly southwards and arrived near Hastings overnight on 13/14 October.
Harold's position was strong, and when William attacked the English gave no ground. Indeed, it was the Norman army which broke in the belief that William had been killed, but the Duke rallied his troops and led renewed attacks. It was the apparent further retreat by the Normans, which finally lured the English away from their defensive positions and led to their downfall as the Norman troops turned on them. The battle lasted all day, but by evening King Harold was dead and his army, despite repeated stands, was broken.
The Battle of Hastings holds a special place in English history as the last English battle which led to the conquest of the nation. It marked the opening of a new phase in English history both in terms of domestic politics and the relationship with Europe. It influenced the whole development of the ecclesiastical and political institutions of western Christendom. Its importance cannot be overstated.
AMENITY FEATURES
Most of the battlefield is in the ownership of English Heritage and the battle is interpreted for visitors. The site of Harold's death is reputedly marked by the high altar of the Abbey at Battle.
KEY SOURCES
Douglas, D C, Greenaway, G W (eds.) English Historical Documents 1042 - 1189
Garmonsway, G N, (trans.), 1967, The Anglo-Saxon Chronicle
This list entry was subject to a Minor Amendment to the Selected Sources on 10/04/2019
Legacy
The contents of this record have been generated from a legacy data system.
- Legacy System number:
- 14
- Legacy System:
- Battlefields
Sources
Websites
English Heritage Battlefield Report: Battle of Hastings 1066 (Published 1995), accessed 10th April 2019 from https://historicengland.org.uk/content/docs/listing/battlefields/hastings/
Legal
This battlefield is registered within the Register of Historic Battlefields by Historic England for its special historic interest.
Map
This map is for quick reference purposes only and may not be to scale. This copy shows the entry on 27-Jun-2026 at 21:19:40.
Download a full scale map (PDF)End of official list entry
All text content is available under the Open Government Licence v3.0 , except where otherwise stated. Any supplied maps are © Crown Copyright [and database rights] 2026 OS AC0000815036 and may not be reproduced without permission.