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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.
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 Battle of Hastings battlefield
The Battle of Hastings – the most famous battle in English history – was fought between the armies of Harold Godwinson, King of England, and Duke William of Normandy. The armies were evenly matched, and the battle lasted all day. When Harold was eventually killed, the way was open for William to assume the throne of England.
English Heritage looks after the very spot where the battle took place. Visit Battle Abbey and the 1066 Battlefield to explore the site of the battle – one of the least altered of all medieval battlefields – and discover the abbey founded there by William the Conqueror to atone for the bloodshed.
Visit the 1066 battlefieldThe story of the battle
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 ShortsInteractive 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 Map1066 podcasts
For 2026 we’ve made a brand-new, seven-part English Heritage Podcast video series exploring the historic events of 1066.
In the latest episode, host Amy Matthews looks at the Battle of Hastings as it happened. Joining her are Roy Porter, Senior Curator of Properties at English Heritage, and Tom Licence, Professor of Medieval History and Literature at the University of East Anglia and author of Harold: Warrior King. Together, they unpack fresh research to separate myth from reality and explore the key moments in the battle. And with such different fighting styles and armies, was William’s triumph was down to tactical genius or simple good luck?
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.
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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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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? Find quick answers to these and other questions about 1066.
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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?
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FULFORD AND STAMFORD BRIDGE: THE NORTHERN BATTLES OF 1066
Find out what happened when English armies confronted the invading force of Harald Hardrada, King of Norway, at two major battles fought in 1066 before the Battle of Hastings.
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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?
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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.
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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.
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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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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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What was the legacy of the Norman Conquest?
The Conquest brought about the most radical change in society ever seen in England. Was this for the better or worse? Discover some of the ways in which the country was transformed.