News

Battle of Hastings

14 January 2013

Readers will be aware that two alternative locations for the battle of Hastings have recently been suggested, both of which have received considerable media coverage. Nick Austin has claimed in a book (Secrets of the Norman invasion. Ogmium, 2010) that the fighting took place nearer to the coast at Crowhurst while John Grehan and Martin Mace argue in a recently-published book (Hastings: the uncomfortable truth. Pen and Sword, 2012) that the battle was actually fought on Caldbec Hill, a little to the north of Senlac Hill where Battle Abbey now stands.

 

Readers will be aware that at this stage the Trust does not feel able to support the suggestion that the Battle of Hastings was fought at the Crowhurst site or that the evidence suggests that any detailed archaeological investigation in relation to the battle should focus on the Crowhurst area. However a downloadable synopsis of the case for Crowhurst is now available in the members section of our website so that individual members can make up their own minds about the evidence presented there. Other papers relating to the debate may be posted there in the future.