William's midwinter crossing of the Pennines in early 1070 to reach Cheshire was one of the most extraordinary military marches of the entire Conquest. The army forced its way through snow and ice across passes that were barely traversable in summer, with horses and men suffering terribly in the conditions. The crossing demonstrated William's iron determination to leave no part of England unscouted and unsuppressed, and its success demoralized any remaining English resistance by proving that geography alone offered no protection.
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