A group of intrepid re-enactors will leave York on Sunday 25 September on an epic journey inspired by the one taken by King Harold to the Battle of Hastings, 950 years ago. Organised by English Heritage as part of its programme marking the anniversary of the Norman Conquest, re-enactors on foot and horseback will travel south over three weeks, arriving at the East Sussex battlefield on Friday 14 October, the exact date in 1066 when the forces of Harold and Duke William of Normandy met in arguably the most famous and important battle in English history.

English Heritage hope that the march will engage local communities with the history of 1066, and the route will include several workshops with local groups and a number of schools. Two major events are also planned – a pop-up Saxon encampment in Hyde Park on Saturday 8 October and the annual re-enactment of the battle itself on the battlefield over the weekend of 15-16 October.

The 1066 March will depart from Clifford’s Tower in York on Sunday 25 September, the anniversary of King Harold’s victory over a Viking army at the Battle of Stamford Bridge. Journeying through Yorkshire and the East Midlands, the march will visit the historic city of Lincoln, passing through the same Roman arch Harold and his men would have done on their way south.

Travelling through the Fens and on to Essex, the participants will visit Waltham Abbey, the church richly endowed by the English king, and where tradition says he may have been buried. On the final weekend, the group will march into central London, joining a ‘pop-up’ Saxon encampment within Hyde Park on Saturday 8 October.

The final week’s journey will travel from Westminster into Kent, through the Weald to East Sussex, paying tribute to what would be King Harold’s final journey. Three weeks and three hundred miles after setting off, the re-enactors will arrive at Battle Abbey on the anniversary itself, in time to take part in the annual re-enactment event over the weekend of 15 and 16 October.

Emily Sewell, Head of Events for English Heritage, said; “Throughout 2016 English Heritage have been marking the anniversary of 1066 – one of the most famous battles and most transformative years in English history – at sites and events across the country. This march and our re-enactment weekend are the culmination of this year of activity and a great opportunity for people to find out more about these dramatic events.”

“We hope people will be as inspired as we are by the volunteers who will be following this route – several of who will then go on to participate in the weekend Battle of Hastings re-enactment itself on the weekend of 15-16 October, joining over 1,000 participants and visitors from all of the world.”

Nigel Amos, who is leading the 1066 march on behalf of English Heritage, said; “I have been involved in re-enactment for many years and for me this is a once in a lifetime opportunity. We do as much as we can to research the details of the history we re-enact, but there’s nothing like a personal experience like this to understand what it was like and offer an even more authentic window on that world to inspire and inform others.”

“The legacy of the Norman Conquest is all around us, and for me this march is a great way of highlighting the enormity of what the people involved in the campaigns of 1066 undertook, as well as appreciating the richness of our country’s heritage, from magnificent churches and castles to Roman roads and Saxon villages hiding in plain sight.”

The march forms part of English Heritage’s year of activity marking 950 years since the Norman Conquest took place. The charity will be commemorating the anniversary with a number of activities, including an Education Activity Day for schools at Battle and other sites around the country on 14 October. The annual battle re-enactment will take place over the weekend of 15-16 October.

To find out more about all these events, visit www.english-heritage.org.uk/1066