BattlefieldsHarold's York to London Night March 1066
Early Medieval

Harold's York to London Night March 1066

1066
England
Era
Early Medieval
Battle Type
Pitched Battle
Location
England
Status
Unregistered
The Combatants

Who Fought

Forces
Not recorded in historical accounts
Forces
Norman invasion forces
VS
Victor
Not recorded in historical accounts
Forces
Harold II with housecarls and levies
Outcome
Harold reached London within days, beginning the southern muster before marching to meet William
The Battle

History & Significance

After Stamford Bridge, Harold received news of the Norman landing and immediately began one of the most remarkable forced marches in medieval history, covering the two hundred miles from York to London in approximately four days. The pace exhausted his housecarls and gave him no time to gather the full southern fyrd, a decision that would prove fatal at Hastings. Historians have debated ever since whether rest would have changed the outcome.

Questions & Answers

Frequently Asked Questions

Aubrey Research

Explore the landscape around this battlefield

Aubrey generates in-depth historical research for any location in Britain — drawing on Domesday records, scheduled monuments, Victorian OS maps, geological data and archaeological archives to tell the full story of a place.

Research a location near this battlefield