What hill did William assemble his army at before the battle?

William assembled his army at Telham Hill before the Battle of Hastings. Telham Hill lies roughly a mile southeast of Senlac Hill, where Harold Godwinson’s English army took up its defensive position.

After landing at Pevensey and establishing a base near Hastings, William moved his forces toward the battlefield. From Telham Hill, the Norman duke could see the English army forming on the opposite ridge. The two positions were separated by the ground over which the Norman attack would advance on 14 October 1066.

Telham Hill is sometimes confused with Caldbec Hill and Senlac Hill because all three names belong to the battlefield’s surrounding landscape. Senlac was the hill occupied by Harold’s army, while Telham was the southern height associated with William’s approach and assembly. Caldbec Hill lay to the north of the battlefield.

William’s army included infantry, archers and cavalry, giving it a more varied composition than Harold’s predominantly infantry force. The Normans attacked uphill throughout the day, eventually using cavalry and feigned retreats to draw sections of the English shield wall out of position. Harold’s death and the collapse of the English line secured William’s victory.