Marching to Battle
Harold marched south but only waited five or six days in London for fresh troops, probably leaving again on 11 October. He marched via Rochester before coming to the area north of the Hastings peninsula, some eight miles from the town. Here, by the crossroads at Caldbec Hill, where stood an apple tree, the English army halted on the evening of 13 October.
Norman scouts having brought news of the approaching enemy, William ordered his men to stand to arms. At daybreak, at about 5:20 GMT, the army began marching out towards the English. By the time they reached the slopes of Telham Hill they could see the English ahead, forming up on the opposite ridge. The Norman move apparently caught Harold by surprise and he was still ordering his troops when the Normans marched down into the valley, actually a saddle between two brooks.
In front rose the ridge of Senlac Hill, like a hammer-head whose shaft forms a neck of land running back towards Caldbec Hill, a mile to the north. Along the crest stood the English line, perhaps as many as 8,000 men in ten ranks. Harold stood near the point where the track crossed the ridge, the gold embroidered banner of the Fighting Man beside him, and the windsock dragon banner of Wessex seen on the Tapestry. Around him and forming part of the front line were housecarls and king’s thegns, the best troops, wearing mail, many with two-handed axes. Lesser thegns formed the bulk of the troops, with levies in rear.
Today the ridge is partly covered by the buildings of the abbey William founded, and the slope somewhat altered by the necessity of placing buildings. Nevertheless, on the west side of the valley can be seen the hillock which appears to figure on the Tapestry, and below it the pools created when the monks dammed the stream for fishponds. The eastern end of the ridge is difficult to determine; the English line could have extended between 600 and 800 yards.
William may have had some 7,500 men. The first division wheeled left and formed up on the western side of the field, mainly composed of Bretons. The largest contingent was that of the Normans in the centre. The right wing included many French mercenaries. Archers, some crossbowmen and perhaps a few slingers made up the front line, though only archers are shown on the Tapestry. They were mainly unarmoured, but behind came large numbers of mailed infantry. In rear trotted William’s best troops, his squadrons of mounted mailed knights.
At about 9:00GMT the battle began with the terrible sound of trumpets.