This Holy Year of 2026
is the 960th Anniversary
of the Battle of Hastings
This Holy Year of 2026
is the 960th Anniversary
of the Battle of Hastings
In this dazzling illustration by Peter Dennis, the sheer scale of the conflict is laid bare. Atop the rising slope of Battle Ridge, the Anglo-Danish shield wall stands defiant.
They are gathered around their King, Harold Godwinson, at the legendary muster point: the Hoar Apple Tree.
Looking down from the ridge, the view is terrifying. Massed at the base of the hill are thousands of Norman invaders, a sea of steel ready for the uphill struggle against all odds.
At their heart stands William the Bastard, soon to be known as the Conqueror, clutching the Papal Banner of Pope Alexander II—a divine mandate for a bloody day.