The black lines show the routes of old Roman main roads, the red lines show ancient ridgeways mostly running
east to west, both of these major route types were likely to still be in use in 1066, as they would be the only way
a large force of men could move by foot through the Forest of Andredsweald to Hastings.
William is recorded as having landed at Hastings hence the most likely landing places are on the Hooe Peninsular
or along the coast via Bexhill and through to Bulverhythe and the Combe Valley which would have been a
protected harbour in 1066, or possibly into the Tillingham valley but this is less likely due to tides and the shape of
the coastline at the time in the area.
For the battle to take place near Battle, William must have landed somewhere between current Ninfield in the West and
Winchelsea in the East, as the sea at Pevensey came inland to Boreham Street and the Tillingham inland as far as Westfield,
trapping the Normans near Hastings with only one major route through to London.
It is also recorded that a ship overshot the landing and ended up at New Romney where the occupants were put to the sword, but
this seems to be an isolated event caused by the currents flowing east, so most would have landed near William further West.
As you can see, the current logic that the Saxons came down from Rochester has to be incorrect as the whole English
army would have had to cross the tidal estuary at Bodiam by ferry.
To avoid that issue it is more likely that Harold came down from London over the Ashdown Forest on the old Roman London to Lewes road
to Maresfield where he took the old ridgeway through to Netherfield which would have avoided the Wealden clay lined valleys that would
have delayed his troops.
At Netherfield he would have had to head south east on the ridge towards Battle, however if William landed on the
Hooe peninsular, Bexhill or Combe Haven at Hastings then Harold would have been better stopping where the current A271
joins the B2096 as the threat from William would be due South of this point, and at this point would block Williams only
route inland.
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