Our Sussex Exclusive 1066 Trail © is covering the length and breadth of Sussex (and beyond) to discover the places that shaped the events and the people who played a key part in the events of 1066 and the Battle of Hastings. A moment in time that changed history. In the first part of the trail, we visited the beginning and end of the story in Westminster to Winchester. In part two, we move on to Bosham in West Sussex, home of King Harold.
Bosham (pronounced Bozzum)
Today, Bosham in West Sussex is a hopelessly pretty village in Chichester Harbour that clings to the land as the waters lap its feet at high tide, and chimes gently to the sound of sailing boats moored at the quay. In the summer, the harbour front is busy and bustling with walkers, tourists and locals, while in the winter, a quieter pace settles in.
There are a couple of shops, a few places to eat and a church, and, far as it is from Battle in East Sussex and the site of the Battle of Hastings, Bosham perhaps feels an unlikely place for the next stop on our Sussex Exclusive 1066 Trail ©. But Bosham has a story or two to tell.
Arrive early in Bosham and allow a morning for exploring the church and the surrounding area. You then have two options for the rest of the day:
Option 1. Eat lunch at one of the pubs, like the Anchor Bleu and spend the afternoon walking some of the amazing footpaths. Chichester Harbour is incredible for wildlife and walks. It’s a 4 km walk from Bosham to the pub at Chidham, or alternatively, there is a 10 km circular walk which takes you south down the coastal path to Bosham Hoe, and then back to Bosham via a network of country lanes and footpaths. You can download the GPX file for this route here: Bosham 10 Km Circular Via Coastal Path
If needs be, overnight at the Millstream or Bosham Boathouse for a longer stay and more exploring.
Option 2. Head back into Chichester and allow at least an afternoon to visit the Cathedral, discover the city centre and walk the city wall. Overnight at the Harbour Hotel right in the city centre.
Exploring Bosham’s past
Small as it is, Bosham has always been quite significant when it comes to invasions. Romans landed here in 42AD and established a villa and a port. And although widespread Christianity arrived in 681 AD with St Wilfred via Selsey, it is also believed that a monk called Dicul had a small monastic order at Bosham, which is mentioned in Bede as the earliest-known Christian settlement in Sussex.
Some say that the Vikings raided Sussex via Bosham in the 9th century and the great battle that ensued left fallen Viking soldiers at Kingley Vale. And let’s not forget King Canute, who had a palace at Bosham. If you’ve heard the legend of King Canute not “stopping the tide coming in”, well, it’s thought that it may have been in Bosham that he took his throne down to the beach and got wet. Whilst in the church, you’ll find a small tomb belonging to Canute’s daughter, who, it is believed, drowned in the millstream aged 8.
Earl Godwin of Wessex and the Godwin home
Earl Godwin of Wessex, the father of King Harold II lived in Bosham. Earl Godwin was a powerful (if not popular) advisor to Edward the Confessor. The Earl’s son, Harold, thereafter became the 2nd Earl Godwin, Earl of Wessex and Lord of the Manor of Bosham. But until relatively recently, the precise whereabouts of the Godwin home was unknown.
In 2006, excavations by West Sussex Archaeology uncovered a late Saxon latrine, and more recent research (as part of a project called Where The Power Lies) revealed this was highly likely to have been part of a high-status house predating the Norman conquest. The research focused on Bosham Manor House (just north east of the church) and confirmed that the manor was built upon an early enclosure with what may have been a bridge or causeway to the church. It is now believed that this was the site of Harold’s home.
Today, the Manor House is a private house, and the owners clearly value their privacy as a high fence has been installed to screen the property. However, the grounds still adjoin the churchyard via a gate, and it’s just possible to make out the old wall from the churchyard (please respect the homeowner’s privacy and property if visiting). And it’s not hard to imagine Harold striding out from his home, through the gate and into the churchyard to pray (although perhaps you’re less keen to imagine him using the latrine!).
The Bayeux Tapestry and the Chronicles
Bosham is one of only four English places named in the Bayeux Tapestry. It shows Harold feasting at his manor house, having been to mass at the church and before setting sail for Normandy, where he met William of Normandy (William the Conqueror) in 1064. Later in the Tapestry, Bosham appears again as the setting for Harold’s return.
The Anglo-Saxon Chronicle mentions Bosham too, and particularly, Earl Godwin, his eldest son, and their ships. The Anglo-Saxon Chronicle was a set of records and/or copies of records chronicling the history of the Anglo-Saxons and dating from the 9th century onwards. At the time of writing, the Bayeux Tapestry has been boxed up, and is waiting to be transported to London in September 2026.
All of which paints a very different picture of the Bosham we see today. Rather than sleepy and quiet, it would have been bustling as an important port with a harbour full of ships and veins running with influence and intrigue. There must have been such excitement on its shore when Harold set off and returned.
The church
At the heart of the village is Bosham Church, which dates back to Saxon times, but the chancel arch was built in the 11th century, shortly after the Norman Conquest of 1066.
It’s a church that is proud of its 1066 connections and has a gold altar cloth depicting Bosham on the Bayeux Tapestry (used for special festivals like Christmas). The font is Norman, and the 14th century crypt is worth a quick visit. Then sit quietly in the church for a moment in thought, as Harold and his family once did, on this spot, over 960 years ago. What went through their minds, and what prayers did they each offer up as the year 1066 slowly unfolded?
The true resting place of King Harold?
After his death, the Normans did not want Harold’s tomb to become a shrine to martyrdom and his exact burial site has long since been shrouded in mystery. Most believe he was first buried by the sea near Hastings and later moved to Waltham Abbey in Essex – a place he had visited and worshipped at. Indeed, there is a monument to him there.
But as with all good stories, this one has a Sussex twist.
In 1954, during some restoration work, a coffin was discovered under the stone floor slightly to the left of the chancel steps in Bosham Church. The coffin was described at the time as having “belonged to someone of great importance” and yet it’s unmarked. This corresponds with the belief of some historians that Harold was secretly buried in Bosham, as an obvious, discreet but respectful resting place.
As recently as December 2025, the Chichester Diocese refused permission for the Bosham remains to be dug up and subjected to DNA analysis, so the mystery lives on. It’s odd, though, that for a church that seems so proud of its 1066 connections, there is no mention at all of this grave when you visit, and the spot remains completely unmarked. That said, you can stand on the spot, just left of centre in front of the chancel steps as you are facing the altar, and perhaps, just perhaps, you are standing on the place where Harold lay quietly for hundreds of years. For more about this, read: Harold: Rex. Is King Harold II buried at Bosham Church? by John Pollock.
Bosham shores
The final part of your visit to Bosham has to be down to the shore. At low tide, you can walk from the church, on the coastal path north and along the muddy flats of the Bosham Channel or east along the quay and harbour front. As you walk, listen to the quiet lap of the sea and know that you almost certainly walk in the footsteps of King Harold and his family. Perhaps he chatted with his wife or played with his children on these stones, maybe he argued with his brothers or father here in front of this view or chewed the cud with his mother as the birds settled in the mudflats. It really is quite a remarkable place.
Chichester
Under William the Conqueror, Chichester was an important and strategic city and an administrative, commercial and religious centre. He restored much of the city to a glory it hadn’t enjoyed for some time, and a motte-and-bailey castle was built there by Roger de Montgomery (one of William’s principal counsellors). The mound where it once stood is still visible in Priory Park.
Most significantly for any visit, he ordered that the existing Anglo-Saxon bishopric be moved from its remote location in Selsey to Chichester and in 1075, work on the magnificent cathedral began. The cathedral is open to the public and is well worth a visit.
For more of our Sussex Exclusive 1066 Trail © and more about the Battle of Hastings and Bosham visit:
The Battle of Hastings 1066: the Battle that Changed Sussex & History
