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1066: NEW STUDY REVEALS CHANGE TO WHERE KING HAROLD FELL

A new study of the 1066 battlefield and abbey has revealed a more accurate spot where the altar which marked where King Harold fell in battle was located. The memorial stone has been moved to the new location and the rooftop of the Gatehouse has been opened to the public for the first time as part of our £1.8m re-presentation and conservation of the site. 

  • The memorial stone which marks where King Harold fell in battle has been moved.
  • The rooftop of Battle Abbey Gatehouse is also opening to the public for the first time.

Sam Stones, Properties Curator for English Heritage, cleans the stone marking the traditional spot where King Harold fell at the Battle of Hastings - moved as part of the 950th anniversary re-presentation.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 


Since the 12th century, sources have claimed that Battle Abbey's church was built "on the very spot where according to tradition, among the piled heaps of corpses Harold was found", with the high altar located "where the body of Harold (slain for the love of his country) was found."

However, new advances in our understanding of the layout of the abbey's church reveal that the site of this altar was further east than previously thought. The location of the high altar was lost when the abbey church was demolished after the suppression of the abbey in 1538.

Excavations since the 19th century gradually revealed the church, which had been altered in the 13th century. Now, thanks to improvements in our understanding of where exactly high altars were placed in Romanesque great churches, the memorials tone has been moved 6 metres to the east.

Kate Mavor, English Heritage's Chief Executive, said: "In 1066, two armies met on this field in East Sussex and the outcome defined England for centuries. To understand how Harold lost, why William won, and what that meant for the country, a visit to the battlefield is a must. Highlighting the location where Harold fell and opening up these new spaces means that people can discover more about one of the most important battles in our history."

Click here for full press release

 

Channel website: http://www.english-heritage.org.uk/

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