The Battle of Hastings in 1066 changed the course of English history: from our politics and governance to the way that we speak and the buildings that subsequently sprang up. As we approach the 960th anniversary of that momentous event, join us as we embark on our Sussex Exclusive 1066 Trail ©, visiting the key places that feature in that incredible year and moment in time. And we start our trail, with two non-Sussex but pivotal places in the 1066 story, Westminster in London and Winchester in Hampshire.
The 1066 Trail ©
When it comes to great historical events, it is often difficult to pinpoint a moment in time when the dial was irrevocably set, the die cast and the main players assembled in the wings and ready to take centre stage. No turning back. But if there was such a moment when it comes to 1066 and the Battle of Hastings, it was the death of King Edward, Edward the Confessor, on 5 January 1066 in London.
A little look at Edward the Confessor
Edward the Confessor’s mother was Emma of Normandy. She was also the wife of King AEthelred the Unready (Edward’s father), and later, she was the wife of King Canute. In addition to this, she was William the Conqueror’s great aunt (sister of his grandfather). Edward the Confessor was also the brother-in-law to Harold Godwinson (King Harold) as Edward was married to Harold’s sister. Edward’s father had lost his throne to King Canute’s father (Swein Forkeard). Edward’s brother died after his defeat by Canute and Edward spent much of his youth exiled in Normandy after the Danish invasion of 1013. Harold’s father had been a powerful political but not popular advisor to Edward, and that all makes for some complex family and personal psychology.
January 1066 and surrounding events
Edward the Confessor died on 5 January 1066, leaving no heir to the throne and triggering a succession crisis that would play out during the course of the year. The main (but not only) candidates for succession were:
Harold Godwinson (Earl of Wessex) – a powerful English noble and Edward’s brother-in-law. Edward may at some point have promised Harold the throne and may have promised him the throne from his deathbed. The Witan (an Anglo-Saxon king’s council made up of powerful nobles, bishops and wise men) elected Harold as King, believing he could best protect England.
William, Duke of Normandy – a blood relative of Edward who claimed Edward promised him the throne years earlier. William also claimed that Harold had promised to support his claim to the throne on a previous visit to Normandy.
Westminster
Of course, not all the events in this 1066 saga played out in Sussex, and Westminster represents both the beginning and the end of our story, although, of course, not the end of William’s story. So let us start our Sussex Exclusive 1066 Trail © there. Edward the Confessor commissioned the building of a church at Westminster Abbey in the 1040s. This was a new Norman-style building replacing a former Saxon church or abbey (and it has, of course, been rebuilt since). Westminster Abbey was consecrated on 28 December 1065, but by then, King Edward was already too ill to attend. He died on 5 January, leaving no heir.
His body was taken from Westminster Hall to the Abbey, and he was buried on 6 January before the High Altar. In 1163, his body was moved to a shrine specially prepared for it, and you can visit this today (no photography permitted). King Harold Godwinson was crowned King of England at Westminster Abbey on January 6. Yes, the same day. Less than a year later, on Christmas Day, William the Conqueror was crowned King of England at Westminster, and Harold was dead. William’s coronation was not without incident, and you can read more about this in Mark Morris’s amazing book The Norman Conquest.
In the course of just under 12 months, Westminster had seen three kings crowned and marked both the end of the old era and the beginning of a new one. By nightfall on 6 January 1066, the chain of events that we know so well, were well and truly set in motion.
Winchester
But we’ve got ahead of ourselves, so let’s take a step back and make our way to Winchester in Hampshire. Edward came to the throne on the death of King Canute’s son Harthacnut (and Edward’s own half-brother) in 1042, and he was crowned at Winchester Cathedral.
Winchester had been an important Roman settlement, but from the seventh century, the town had become the capital of Wessex (an Anglo Saxon kingdom). The first church was built in Winchester in the 7th century (the Old Minster), and in 676, the Bishop of Wessex moved his seat to Winchester and the Old Minster became a cathedral. Alfred the Great was crowned King of Winchester in 871, and the town flourished and was fortified under his rule. King Canute was King of England from 1016 and ruled from Winchester and his remains are now in Winchester Cathedral.
In the 11th century, Winchester was a significant political hub, home to Edward the Confessor’s mother and would have been often visited by Harold. After the Norman conquest, Winchester evolved into one of the most important cities in England. So, the next step on our 1066 Trail © has to be here.
The cathedral, the castle and the Normans
Winchester Castle was founded on the orders of William the Conqueror in 1067, just after the conquest and was a major royal stronghold. Today, you can visit its magnificent Great Hall, the remains of the fortified Westgate and a small area of ruins and tunnels.
Winchester Cathedral was built between 1079 and 1420, with work starting under a Norman bishop (who pulled down the Old Minster). The original Norman east end of the cathedral was built over a crypt (virtually unchanged) with a well which may predate the cathedral. The cathedral is the largest in the UK and has the longest nave of any cathedral in Europe.
A short walk from the cathedral is the site of the Chapel Royal of the Palace of William the Conqueror, now a church.
The stage is set
Both Westminster and Winchester are powerfully enigmatic and hold a sense of history in every breath and footstep. But once you’ve left London behind you and arrived in Winchester, is when you really start to get that first flicker of life in 1066. Winchester breathes history at almost every corner, with King Alfred looking down on you, and subsequent rulers having left an indelible mark. It’s well worth a pause and moment of reflection here, to bring this little city into context: geographically, politically and emotionally. All three players, Edward, Harold and William, would have come here, and it must have held complex emotions for them. It is 85 miles from Pevensey, where William landed and 65 miles from Westminster. It is 30 miles cross-country from Bosham (Harold’s home).
It was the home of Edward’s mother, with whom he did not have a warm relationship (to put it mildly), the burial place of Harold’s contentious father and was a place of great power, influence, intrigue and money. It’s at the edge of the Souths Downs (and at the start of the South Downs Way), yet it feels remote and despite the fact that it has a bustling and vibrant town centre, history speaks loudly here.
As part of your time here, must visit places include: the Cathedral, the Great Hall and Palace ruins, Wolvesey Castle (the Old Bishop’s Palace largely built by Bishop Henry of Blois – grandson of William the Conqueror), the City Museum and the Westgate Museum. But above all else, explore the many nooks and crannies of Winchester, discover its secrets and imagine it in 1066: crowded streets inside the city walls filled with merchants and clergy, impressive buildings and defences, noise and poverty, wealth and power all mingling in the narrow streets. See it through the eyes of Harold as he set off for Bosham or Westminster (perhaps for the last time), or through the eyes of William as he arrived as unwelcome conqueror. Winchester is the place that sets the scene for the saga that was about to unfold.
For more about the Battle of Hastings and the next stop on our Sussex Exclusive 1066 Trail © visit:
The Battle of Hastings 1066: the Battle that Changed Sussex & History
