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1066 And The Norman Conquest
1066 was a momentous year for England. The death of the elderly English king, Edward the Confessor, on 5 January set off a chain of events that led up to the Battle of Hastings on 14 October – and the Norman Conquest of England.
Discover the story of the Battle of Hastings itself and the huge impact of the Norman Conquest on England.
The Battle of Hastings
The Battle of Hastings was fought on 14 October 1066 between the armies of Harold Godwinson, King of England, and Duke William of Normandy (William the Conqueror). The armies were evenly matched, and the battle lasted all day – rare for a medieval battle. When Harold was eventually killed, the way was open for William to assume the throne of England.
Explore the site of the most famous battle in English history – one of the least altered of all medieval battlefields – visit the abbey founded there by King William I, and find out more about the battle.
Visit the Battlefield-
What happened at the Battle of Hastings?
At dawn on Saturday 14 October 1066, two great armies prepared to fight for the throne of England. Read what happened at the most famous battle in English history.
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Where did the Battle of Hastings Happen?
Was Battle Abbey built ‘on the very spot’ where King Harold fell, or was the Battle of Hastings actually fought elsewhere? Discover the latest thinking about the battlefield’s location.
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The Foundation of Battle Abbey
Battle Abbey was a memorial to William’s great victory – but it was also an act of penance. Find out why this great abbey was founded.
Norman castles
Duke William of Normandy’s triumph at the Battle of Hastings marked the dawn of a new era. In the decades that followed, all aspects of life in England were transformed, from organisation and governance to language and customs – and perhaps most visibly today, architecture.
Castles were thrown up across the country to administer and control local populations, and many Norman buildings survive. While the original timber structures are no longer visible, their foundational earthworks remain, and later stone structures now mark the sites of those first Norman castles.
We’ve highlighted some of the best castles from around England to inspire your next visit.
Find a castle to visitListen to a podcast
Listen to our podcast episodes that explore the events, people and places surrounding the Battle of 1066 and Norman rule.
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S2: Coin, Castle and Conquest: The Normans in the North of England
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S2: Power Before 1066
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S1: Beyond 1066: Who was William the Conqueror?
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S1: The Events and People behind the Battle of Hastings
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S1: What happened after the Battle of Hastings?
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S1: The Rise Reign and Fall of Harold Godwinson
More about 1066 and the Battle of Hastings
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The Weapons of 1066
From simple clubs to fine steel-bladed swords, we take a closer look at the weapons used by the Normans and Saxons, as depicted in the Bayeux Tapestry.
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How to Organise a Norman Invasion Fleet
What does the Bayeux Tapestry tell us about Duke William’s fleet of ships, what supplies he took with him, and how his army got their horses on board?
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The Women of 1066
We explore four women who wielded power behind the scenes in 1066, as advisors to their husbands, supporters of their sons and the voice of religious moderation.
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Things you didn't know about 1066
Was William’s victory at the Battle of Hastings a foregone conclusion? Was King Harold really killed by an arrow in his eye? Find quick answers to these and other questions about 1066.