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

User submitted image — Uploaded by Historic England Archive This photo may not represent the current condition of the site
View all

Location

Location of this list entry and nearby places that are also listed. Use our map search to find more listed places.

There is a problem

Use of this mapping is subject to terms and conditions.

This map is for quick reference purposes only and may not be to scale.

What is the National Heritage List for England?

The National Heritage List for England is a unique register of our country's most significant historic buildings and sites. The places on the list are protected by law and most are not open to the public.

The list includes:

🏠 Buildings
🏰 Scheduled monuments
🌳 Parks and gardens
⚔️ Battlefields
⚓ Shipwrecks

Find out more about listing

Historic England Archive

Search over 1 million photographs and drawings from the 1850s to the present day using our images archive.

Find Photos

Official list entry

Heritage Category:: Battlefield
List Entry Number:: 1000013
Date first listed:: 06-Jun-1995
Location Description:: HASTINGS

This list entry identifies a battlefield which is registered because of its special historic interest.

Understanding registered battlefields

Corrections and minor amendments

This list entry identifies a battlefield which is registered because of its special historic interest.

Understanding registered battlefields

Corrections and minor amendments

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/