Hastings 940

October 14th -940th anniversary of the Battle of Hastings and Leo and I went to Battle abbey for the re-enactment. Great stuff! Massed armies of Normans and Saxons slogging it out on the original battlefield in front of 20,000 spectators. 3000 re-enactors, including 300 mounted knights from all over the world (including some genuine Normans) were all camping semi authentically, cooking organic wild boar and dubious looking beans and showing off their battle axes and hand made chain mail. Apart from the battle there was the medieval market which was doing a roaring trade in authentic leather wear and such like. Want to buy a badger skin (£29), a yard of hand woven wool (£50!), or some assorted arrow heads? re-enactment days are the place to go. The market goes from more to less authentic as you move down the street ending with various fast food stands so you get frequent surreal moments – ferocious looking Saxons eating hot dogs. The mounted Norman knights were very impressive and we all very properly booed William as he came by on his black charger. Harold died with suitable drama on top of the hill defended to the last by his fyrd. However they recovered quickly and were last seen marching down the main camp road shouting ‘Beer tent –right WHEEL!'
Whole colllection of photos at

Vikings on line