About what time did fighting begin at Hastings?

Fighting at the Battle of Hastings began at about 9 am on 14 October 1066.

William, Duke of Normandy, had landed in Sussex on 28 September and assembled his army near Hastings. Harold Godwinson arrived after a rapid march south from Stamford Bridge, where he had defeated a Norwegian invasion less than three weeks earlier. William advanced to meet him at the ridge near present-day Battle.

The Norman attack opened with archers firing uphill at the English shield wall. Spearmen then attacked, followed by cavalry. The English position was strong, and the battle continued for hours, with the Normans using attacks and feigned retreats to disrupt the defenders.

The day’s timing helps explain the battle’s intensity. It lasted from the morning until dusk; sunset was shortly before 5 pm, leaving limited daylight for the final fighting. The exact details of the opening are debated in medieval sources, but the 9 am start is treated as undisputed in the referenced account.