Which English county is the site of the Battle of Hastings?

The Battle of Hastings took place in East Sussex, in southern England. Although the battle is traditionally associated with Hastings, the fighting occurred roughly seven miles northwest of the town, near present-day Battle, where Battle Abbey now stands.

The battle was fought on 14 October 1066 between the Norman army of William, Duke of Normandy, and the English army commanded by King Harold Godwinson. William’s victory began the Norman Conquest of England and led to his coronation as William I on Christmas Day that year.

The location can cause confusion because the county’s boundaries and administrative names have changed over time. In 1066, the area was part of Sussex; today it is in East Sussex, which was created as a modern administrative county in 1974. Kent lies nearby to the east, while Hampshire is farther west, but neither county contains the battlefield.