The Site Of The 1069 Hastings Rematch Has Been Found

February 26, 2016 by brennon

It's time for a bit of proper History news. The site of the rematch battle between Harold Godwinson's sons and the conquering Norman army has been found in a field between Appledore and Northam in Devon. The rematch took place in 1069...

The discovery was made by the writer of the Horrible Science series of books, Nick Arnold, and experts have said that his find might be quite significant. Harold's family had fled to Ireland after the Battle of Hastings and they returned at the head of a host of mercenaries and more looking to get payback for their father's death.

Brian of Brittany faced off against these mercenaries and loyal followers with his own army of Normans, Bretons and English soldiers. In all around 3,000 people died in the resulting clash which - as you can imagine - didn't end well for the sons.

Why is this important for us? Well, this gives us a chance to actually play out the battle and see if we can rewrite history! Could you see the sons return victorious and defeat the waiting Norman army?

Does this stir the 'gaming in the gaps' urge?

"Why is this important for us? Well, this gives us a chance to actually play out the battle and see if we can rewrite history!"

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torros

9 years ago

Is this definite? As there are still arguments about where the Battle of Hastings took place

frankle

Reply to torros

With The state of this town the battle never stopped!

brennon

Author

Yup by the looks if it!

suetoniuspaullinus

Well..as long as they can’t decide upon where the real Battle of Hastings actually was fought I will take this with a pinch of salt..even if it is on the BBC website 😉
Great stuff for wargaming tho..makes me want to get all those plastic Normans out I bought at Salute a couple of years ago..

solar

Reply to suetoniuspaullinus

I would be less inclined to believe anything the BBC says lol

zorg

three years for a rematch FIFA then was just as dodgy as they are now?

dustonpike

I’ve been learning medieval latin and as part of that, I have been translating the Guillelmi ducis Normannorum gesta’s account of the Battle of Hastings. It’s very visceral and enjoyable, especially as a gamer. Here is my translation of the part of the battle we all know; where the normans feign a retreat several times. Enjoy!

‘Having noticed the enemy, who were offering great resistance, the normans and their allied group could not overcome them without very great inconvenience to their own and so gave flight, diligently pretending to flee. They remembered what opportunity for their desired objective the flight a little earlier gave. From among the barbarians, with hope of victory, a great rejoicing arose. Encouraging themselves they shooed our men with exultant cries and curses and gave indication that our men would be destroyed all at once. Thousands ventured out like before in order that they might beset them with a flying charge those they were believing to flee. The normans, when their horses had been brought round, unexpectedly massacred those that they had intercepted and cut off, leaving none. Twice they had used that trick with similar result, the remaining majority, still a horrible battle line, they attacked with great vigour, and with great difficulty surrounded it. Then a strange kind of fight happened, in which one half dealt with differing movements then the other endured as though they were fixed to the ground. The english became sluggish and as though confessing guilt of that fault, they suffered defeat. The normans fired arrows, slew and stabbed, the dead were seen to be moved more when they were slain then when alive. The walking wounded were not permitted to escape but the denseness of the allies pressed upon them and put them all to death.’

The original latin was reproduced in a book by Keith Sidwell called ‘Reading Medieval Latin’