Anglo Saxon History Home Background Landscape Changing Landscape and Language Sea Levels in AD400(Pevensey) Sea Levels in AD400(The Wash) Sea level changes last 2000 years Andredsweald and Anderida Where are the Roman Roads History of the Romney Marsh The Great Storm 1287AD List of Landscape Documents Local The Haestingas The Cinque Ports 914AD Alfred the Great's fort in Hastings Battle Museum Battle History Society Villagenet Local Gazeteer World War 2 Tank database Simon the Piman(Raspberry Pi) Tourist Guides for the area Romans First Invasion 55BC Second Invasion 43AD Roman roads in Britannia Ptolemy Geographica Tribes MAP-Margary Roman Roads MAP-Roman Roads South East MAP-Roman Roads South West MAP-Roman Roads Wales MAP-Roman Roads South Midlands MAP-Roman Roads South Yorkshire MAP-Roman Locations Norfolk MAP-Roman Locations Essex MAP-Wealden Roads/Bloomeries Wealden Bloomeries 1st Century Wealden Bloomeries 2nd Century Wealden Bloomeries 3rd Century Wealden Bloomeries 4th Century MAP-Antonine Itinery I Roman Industry in the Brede Valley Decline in Roman Wealden Ironworking The Gallic Empire 260AD - 274AD Types of Roman Fortification List of Roman Documents Saxon Chronicles 449AD Hengest & Horsa arrive 455AD Hengest & Horsa defeat Wurtgern 457AD Hengest & Horsa take over Kent 460AD Hæstinga Saxons arrive 477AD Cymensora 485AD Suth Saxons Mercredesburnan 491AD Suth Saxons Pevensey 914AD Burghal Hideage Locations - 449AD Ebbsfleet Locations - 455AD Agelesþrep Locations - 485AD Mearcredesburnan Stede Locations - 914AD Eorpeburnan List of Saxon Chronicles Documents 1066 Battle Documentary Evidence Available Documents 1 Anglo Saxon Chronicles 2 Battle Abbey Chronicles 3 Bayeux Tapestry 4 Carmen Guy d'Amiens 5 Florence of Worcester 6 Henry of Huntingdon 7 Master Wace 8 Orderic Vitalis(Gesta) 9 William of Jumièges(Gesta) 10 William of Malmesbury 11 Quedam Exceptiones Reference to Locations Phases of the Events Phases 1066AD 1 Background 1066AD 2 In Normandy 1066AD 3 Channel Crossing 1066AD 4 The Landing 1066AD 5 Feast after Landing 1066AD 6 Building the Forts 1066AD 7 Raiding the Area 1066AD 8 Warning to Harold 1066AD 9 Stamford Bridge 1066AD 10 Harold returns to London 1066AD 11 William is Alerted 1066AD 12 Exchange of Messages 1066AD 13 Defenses 1066AD 14 Harold Reconnoitres 1066AD 15 Preparations 1066AD 16 The Night Before 1066AD 17 The Battle 1066AD 18 Harold is Killed 1066AD 19 The English Rout 1066AD 20 After the Battle 1066AD 21 The Malfosse Warriors, Weapons & Snippets Saxon - Huscarl Saxon - Fyrd(Fyrð) Senlac Hill The Malfosse The Hoar Apple Tree The Shield Wall Salt Production near Hastings The Battle of Jengland 851AD William's Ship List Norman/Viking Ships and stuff Norman bows and crossbows Harold was NOT killed by an arrow The Time Team view of the Battle 1066AD Landscape Details 1066AD Sailing from Normandy 1066AD Norman Landing 1066AD Possible Fort 1066AD to Pevensey and Hastings 1066AD Manors Wasted 1066AD Manors All 1066AD Warning to Harold 1066AD Harold to Hastings List of 1066AD Documents List of 1066AD Weapons 1086AD Domesday Boundary of Anderida Domesday Hursts Post Domesday Hursts Domesday Manors Wasted UK Norfolk Salt Production Salt Production near Hastings The Wash at 1086 The Humber estuary at 1086 Domesday County details B Bedfordshire Domesday Population Berkshire Domesday Population Buckinghamshire Domesday Population Domesday County details C Cambridgeshire Domesday Population Cheshire Domesday Population Cornwall Domesday Population Domesday County details D Derbyshire Domesday Population Devon Domesday Population Dorset Domesday Population Domesday County details E Essex Domesday Population Domesday County details G Gloucestershire Domesday Population Domesday County details H Hampshire Domesday Population Herefordshire Domesday Population Hertfordshire Domesday Population Huntingdonshire Domesday Population Domesday County details K Kent Domesday Population Domesday County details L Leicestershire Domesday Population Lincolnshire Domesday Population Domesday County details M Middlesex Domesday Population Domesday County details N Norfolk Domesday Population Northamptonshire Domesday Population Nottinghamshire Domesday Population Domesday County details O Oxfordshire Domesday Population Domesday County details R Rutland Domesday Population Domesday County details S Shropshire Domesday Population Somerset Domesday Population Staffordshire Domesday Population Suffolk Domesday Population Surrey Domesday Population Sussex Domesday Population Domesday County details W Warwickshire Domesday Population Wiltshire Domesday Population Worcestershire Domesday Population Domesday County details Y Yorkshire Domesday Population Place names Translate my Location Celtic name snippets Jutish name snippets Roman name snippets Saxon name snippets Viking name snippets Norman name snippets Modern name snippets Villages containing EY/EYE/SEA Villages containing HAM Villages containing TON Villages containing CASTLE Sussex Locations with ING Domesday Sussex with ING Kent Locations with ING Sussex Locations with HURST Loads of Village Translations Res Battle of Hastings 1066AD - Why the Hastings Area was important to Duke William The area between Eastbourne and New Romney was vitally important to the Romans, the Vikings, the Saxons and the Normans as it was the area where the The Great Forest of Andredsweald - Anglo Saxon Chronicles reached the sea in protected inlets. Top of Page The Romans The Saxons The Vikings The Normans Conclusion The Romans ▲ The Romans occupied the area of East Sussex and West Kent as a military zone, this was due to the rich iron deposits in the area, and the proximity of the oak forest of Andredsweald to the coast and the easy to navigate waterways. Carausius built the massive shore forts at Portus Lemanis and Anderida at Pevensey to protect the area from the main Roman Empire. Portus Lemanis was important because the main iron production in the Rother and Brede valleys reached the sea at modern Hythe at the time (Landscape - The History of the Romney Marsh in maps(Pre-Roman to Modern times)). Anderida, the fort at Pevensey was built because the main Classis Britannica base at Boulogne was taken in 296AD and it is believed that the Pevensey area especially the area near Ashburnham was a main fleet shipbuilding area, along with the Aspen valley at Hastings. This was due to the availability of high quality oak close to the coast, and the abundance of iron to produce nails for the construction of ships. The Saxons ▲ The Saxons settled the Kingdom of Hastings about 460AD and took over the Roman shipbuilding area in this part of East Sussex. The area was very isolated from other parts of the South East as there were only two main road routes into the area, a ridgeway from the Roman London to Lewes road at Crowborough and the old Roman military road from Gravesend to the main iron works near Sedlescombe. Hastings retained its independence until King Offa of Mercia took the kingdom in 771AD. For the kingdom to remain independent for 311 years it implies a degree of protection and isolation. The only way this could occur is if the area was fairly wealthy and able to afford a strong military presence. This wealth could have been provided by sales of ships and timber from Andredweald and possibly iron but this is less likely, however the later Medieval iron production could have destroyed the evidence of Saxon iron production. It is very likely that a storm in 566AD rerouted the river Limen(Rother) so that its mouth changed from Hythe which was under control by the Jutes in Kent, to Old Romney which was most likely controlled by the Haestingas. The Vikings ▲ Anglo Saxon Chronicles: A.D. 893. This year went the large army, that we before spoke about, back from the eastern district westward to Bologne; and there were shipped; so that they transported themselves over at one time with their horses withal. And they came up with two hundred and fifty ships into the mouth of the Limne, which is in East-Kent, at the east end of the vast wood that we call Andred. This wood is in length, east and west, one hundred and twenty miles, or longer, and thirty miles broad. The river that we before spoke about lieth out of the weald. On this river they towed up their ships as far as the weald, four miles from the mouth outwards; and there destroyed a fort within the fen, whereon sat a few churls, and which was hastily wrought. A.D. 894.When the king heard that, then went he west towards Exeter with all his force, except a very considerable part of the eastern army, who advanced till they came to London; and there being joined by the citizens and the reinforcements that came from the west, they went east to Barnfleet. Hasten was there with his gang, who before were stationed at Milton, and also the main army had come thither, that sat before in the mouth of the Limne at Appledore. Hasten had formerly constructed that work at Barnfleet, and was then gone out on plunder, the main army being at home. The main Viking army appears to have remained at Appledore (in the area protected from the weather behind the Isle of Oxney) for an extended period of time, perhaps this was to rebuild and make new ships from the Wealden Oak that lay alongside the Rother, as there was not much else around the area at the time except saltmarsh and woodland. The main Saxon settlement was at Old Romney, with the Langport at New Romney at the time, so the Viking fleet must have passed these villages, and probably killed all or were welcomed by the locals. (Landscape - The History of the Romney Marsh in maps(Pre-Roman to Modern times)) The Normans ▲ The map above shows the Domesday villages that were destroyed in red, damaged in yellow and not effected in green, the relative sizes show the population of the villages. Orderic Vitalis provides the first quote of the Norman landing The Norman expedition, therefore, crossed the sea on the night of the third of the calends of October [29th September], which the Catholic church observes as the feast of St. Michael the archangel, and, meeting with no resistance, and landing safely on the coast of England, took possession of Pevensey and Hastings, the defense of which was entrusted to a chosen body of soldiers, as a base for the Army and shelter for the Fleet. So the Normans took control of Pevensey Castle and probably the old Burh of Hastings at Baldslow Down and installed trusted troops to defend these strategic forts. They encountered no resistance so its possible the local Saxons invited the Normans into the area. Master Wace and the Norman landing 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, and they scoured the whole shore, but found not an armed man there. The first day they held their course along the sea-shore and on the morrow came to a castle called Penevesel. So the Normans landed near Hastings, so again probably near Bexhill and the following day took Pevensey castle. They encountered no resistance so this record also implies that the local Saxons invited the Normans into the area. Carmen de Triumpho Normannico and the landing 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 This report shows that they landed in a protected bay. They restored the Forts, Pevensey and the Hastings Burh, and station troops there to protect them. All the above report that the Normans took Pevensey and the Fort at Hastings, and landed on the coast possibly in a protected inlet. The major damage to the villages appears to stem from the Bexhill area , with a lot of damaged villages stemming from Pevensey, so probably from foraging by cavalry. Conclusion ▲ So we have an area that is rich in iron ore and has been exploited from before Roman times to make nails and other iron implements, and has a plentiful supply of oak trees to make ships (The Great Forest of Andredsweald - Anglo Saxon Chronicles). The early Britons were exporting iron to the continent, and this probably in turn attracted the Roman conquest to exploit this for weapon manufacture. The Romans were here for about 350 years and built Pevensey and Portus Lemanis(Stutfall) Castles to defend their iron exports and their shipbuilding. The iron production appeared to drop significantly (see Wealden Iron Research Group) after Caurausius and Allectus were killed and the Roman Empire retook Britannia, but the shipbuilding must have continued due to the proximity of the oak forest to the ocean. The Saxons took over the area probably about 460AD between the landings of Henghest and Horsa and the South Saxons of Aelle. This was probably to take over the old Roman shipbuilding areas in the Filsham and Ashbourne valleys. The Vikings Great Army stayed at Appledore for some time in 893AD the most likely reason was to build more ships on the Rother as there was nothing else for them in this area and it was away from the main ports at Hythe and Hastings. The Vikings moved north and Alfred the Great built a Burh(fort) at Hastings most likely at Baldslow Down(Harrow Playing Fields) due to the etymology and location. The Normans then invaded the Hastings area and re-fortified the Burh and Pevensey Castle. So this is now conjecture, but its recorded that the area was a major shipbuilding area from the 1200's to the 1500's, it would also seem likely that the area was a major shipbuilding area from Roman times as well. If William invades and wants to get Harold's attention what better way than to take some of the major Saxon shipyards. Williams troops contained many cavalry troop that were not really suitable for fighting in wooded areas. These cavalry would have been better utilised in battles on the flat farmlands of Kent, so why else come to this area. Copyright saxonhistory.co.uk 2013 - 2025Contact SimonAuthor Simon M - Last updated - 2024-07-16 15:17:40All pages on our site (Sitemap)