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. 

Find out all about the Battle of Hastings itself, the dramatic events of 1066, and the huge impact the Norman Conquest had on England.

The Story of 1066

What Happened at the Battle of Hastings?

Early in the morning on 14 October 1066, two great armies prepared to fight for the throne of England.

 

On a hilltop seven miles from Hastings were the forces of Harold, who had been crowned King of England nine months earlier. Facing them on the far side of the valley below were the troops of Duke William of Normandy. By the end of the day, thousands lay dead on the battlefield, and the victorious William was one step nearer to seizing the throne.

Discover how the battle unfolded
Photo of historical interpreters dressed as soldiers at a re-enactment of the Battle of Hastings

Eight Things you may not 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? Everyone knows about 1066 and all that – right?

 

Even if you know your Harold Godwineson from your Harald Hardrada, here are eight facts about that fateful year that might surprise you.

Find out what you (don’t?) know

The Northern Battles of 1066

Two major battles had already been fought on English soil in 1066 before the Battle of Hastings. At Fulford and Stamford Bridge in Yorkshire, English armies had confronted an invading force led by the formidable Harald Hardrada, King of Norway.

 

Although every bit as bloody as the Battle of Hastings, these northern battles are sometimes treated as just a prelude to it. But in fact, Hardrada’s invasion was a serious threat to Harold II’s rule …

Read the story of Hardrada’s invasion

The Norman Invasion of England

On the morning of 28 September 1066 Duke William of Normandy’s invasion fleet arrived off the Sussex coast, and disembarked at Pevensey. This was the culmination of months of planning and preparation for William’s great endeavour – to win the English crown.

 

How did William achieve the remarkable logistical feat of raising an army and transporting thousands of men and horses across the dangerous waters of the English Channel?

Read more about the invasion

     

Photo of two people dressed as Anglo Saxon farmers walking through a field on a summer's day

1066: as it happened (probably)

Watch our new series of shorts on the story of 1066, where we explore what everyday people may have made of the events leading up to, including, and following the Battle of Hastings.

Check back weekly for more episodes!

Watch the series on YouTube Shorts

Interactive Map of Norman England

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.

William and his followers built castles and fortifications across the country to control locals, and impressive religious buildings were built in the Norman era too. You can still see the foundational earthworks and stone structures of some of these buildings today.

Find a Norman site near you using our interactive map that highlights some of the best-preserved Norman architecture in England.

Explore the Norman Map

1066 podcasts

For 2026 we’ve made a brand-new, seven-part English Heritage Podcast video series exploring the historic events of 1066!

The first episode unravels the long journey to bring the Bayeux Tapestry back to English soil for a landmark exhibition at the British Museum. From negotiations and transport logistics to hidden embroidery secrets and missing end panels, discover how this 11th-century masterpiece survived and how it still captivates us today. 

You can watch the series on Spotify and on our YouTube channel, or listen as normal.

And below you can also explore some of our previous podcast episodes that delve into the events, people and places surrounding the Battle of Hastings and Norman rule. 

 

  • S2: Coin, Castle and Conquest: The Normans in the North of England

  • S2: Power Before 1066

  • S1: Beyond 1066: Who was William the Conqueror?

  • S1: The Events and People behind the Battle of Hastings

  • S1: What happened after the Battle of Hastings?

  • S1: The Rise Reign and Fall of Harold Godwinson

More about 1066 and the Battle of Hastings

  • VISIT THE 1066 BATTLEFIELD

    Explore the site of the most famous battle in English history – one of the least altered of all medieval battlefields – and visit the abbey founded there by King William I.

  • 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.

  • THE RESTLESS REIGN OF HAROLD II

    Harold’s brief reign was dominated by defending England from invasion. How did it unfold, and did he really march 200 miles from Yorkshire before the Battle of Hastings?

  • Fact or Fiction? Three medieval stories about the Norman Conquest

    It’s often said that history is written by the winners. But in medieval stories the Normans didn’t always come out on top, as we discover from these tales told about the Conquest.

  • THE BAYEUX TAPESTRY AND ST AUGUSTINE'S ABBEY

    St Augustine’s Abbey in Canterbury was one of the most important monasteries in medieval England. But could it also have been the birthplace of the Bayeux Tapestry?

  • 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.

  • 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. 

  • 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.

  • 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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