Saxon Seaxe Anglo Saxon History
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Map Position
This map shows the position of locations centered on Telham in Sussex.
Map Logic
This map shows the area around Battle and Hastings in 1066.

Roman roads are shown as black lines, red lines show old Roman Ridge trackways and purple lines show theoretical Roman roads implied by village and road names.

The thickness of the road implies the width of the Roman metalled surface.

The sea is shown raised by 5 metres to accomodate the high tide level changes since 1066 see our Sea Level page.

The green shaded area shows what we believe is the area of the impassible Forest of Andredsweald.
 

Battle of Hastings AD1066 - Phase 4 - The Landing and its location

The Norman landing and its possible locations

 

Battle of Hastings AD1066 - Phase 4 - The Landing and its location
The Norman landing and its possible locations
This page shows the documentary evidence from translated original documents


Anglo Saxon Chronicles

Meantime Earl William came up from Normandy into Pevensey on the eve of St. Michael's mass; and soon after his landing was effected, they constructed a castle at the port of Hastings.

Battle Abbey Chronicles

The duke, therefore, with a prodigious army, and attended by the divine favour, arrived safely near the castle called Pevensey. The soldiers leaped joyfully upon English ground at intervals along the shore.
It happened as the duke left his ship, that he fell upon his face, making his nose somewhat bloody upon the beach, and grasping the earth with his outstretched hands. Many of the bystanders feared the consequences of so unlucky a presage, and stood whispering together. But the duke's ewer, William Eitz-Osbert, a man of great merit and much ready wit, being at hand, boldly rallied the failing courage of the waverers with a word. 'Cease men,' said he, 'to interpret this as a misfortune, for by my troth, it is a token of prosperity ; for lo ! he hath embraced England with both his hands, and sealed it to his posterity with his own blood ; and thus by the foreshowing of Divine Providence is he destined effectually to win it !'

Bayeux_Tapestry

Troops disembark and are sent to Hastings to get provisions.
hic exeunt caballi de navibus et hic milites festinaverunt haestinga ut cibum raperentur
  (the horses are taken from the ships and the soldiers make haste to Hastings to seize food)


Carmen de Triumpho Normannico

Nor fear the Northern gale, but to a charming landing place
Nor the rocky coast looming perilous

The third hour of the day overspread the earth
Since leaving the sea behind when you seize a sheltered strand

The land belonging to you had been stripped of tenants
You rejoice as you and yours seize a peaceful arc of strand

You secure the bridgehead fearing to neglect the ships
And raise palisades, that you may site the camp within
You restore the forts that were long since destroyed
You station garrisons that they may be defended
Not much space has been occupied by your men in peace

Florence of Worcester

While these events were passing, and when the king might have supposed that all his enemies were quelled, he received intelligence of the arrival of William, earl of Normandy, with an innumerable host of horsemen, slingers, archers, and foot soldiers, having taken into his pay auxiliary forces of great bravery from all parts of France ; and that he had moored his fleet at a place called Pevensey.

Henry of Huntingdon

No reference to this subject in this document.

Master Wace

The ships steered to one port; all arrived and reached the shore together ; together cast anchor, and ran on dry land ; and together they discharged themselves. They arrived near Hastings, and there each ship ranged by the other's side. There you might see the good sailors, the Serjeants and squires sally forth and unload the ships ; cast the anchors, haul the ropes, bear out shields and saddles, and land the warhorses and palfreys. The archers came forth, and touched land the foremost; each with his bow bent, and his quiver full of arrows slung at his side. All were shaven and shorn, and all clad in short garments, ready to attack, to shoot, to wheel about and skirmish. All stood well equipped, and of good courage for the fight ; and they scoured the whole shore, but found not an armed man there. After the archers had thus gone forth, the knights landed next, all armed; with their hauberks on, their shields slung at their necks, and their helmets laced. They formed together on the shore, each armed up on his warhorse. All had their swords girded on, and passed into the plain with their lances raised.

William of Jumièges/Orderic Vitalis(Gesta)

At last when by God's grace it suddenly came round to the quarter which was the object of so many prayers, the duke, full of ardour, lost no time in embarking the troops, and giving the signal for hastening the departure of the fleet.

William of Malmesbury

No reference to this subject in this document.

Quedam Exceptiones de Historia Normannorum et Anglorum

Everything having been prepared, he set forth for England together with his fleet, propelled by a steadily blowing following wind, and landed at Peneuesel, where at once he restored the most strongly entrenched fortification and, entrusting it to his soldiers, he went to Hastings and there established another fortification.

Phases of the Battle of Hastings 1066AD

No reference to this subject in this document.



External References in no particular order :-
Anglo Saxon Chronicles
Online Anglo Saxon dictionary
Online Etymology dictionary
Open Domesday Book - The first free online copy of the Domesday Book
The Ermine Street Guard Roman re-enactment and research Society
The "Kent A" cadastre - page 5 - Peterson 2002
Archaeologia Cantiana Online
Romney Marsh Research Trust
Romney Marsh the Fifth Continent
VillageNet the reference guide to villages in Kent & Sussex
Global warming Flood Maps
The Anglo Saxon Chronicles
Google Maps - the core of the system
GeoPlaner - Useful site for plotting map data
Julius Caesar's Gallic Wars 55BC(Books 4 & 5)
Wikipedia - Caesar's invasions of Britain
Wikipedia - Portus Istus
The Geography of Claudius Ptolemy (Bill Thayers)
Roman Britain.org
Runetree Beowulf
Bayeux Tapestry Online
The Secrets of the Norman Invasion
Chronicles of John of Worcester
Battle Historic Society
Binsted village website(Mearcredesburnan Steðe)
The Spears of Andred
Find British Archaelogical Sites
Wealden Iron Research Group
Topographic Map of the UK

 

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Author: Simon M - Last Updated: 13/03/2024 13:12
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Data is derived from a number or sources including the Ordnance Survey Gazetter data overlayed onto Google Maps