‘A God-almighty punch-up’: rare footage shows Battle of Hastings (the 1966 one)

English Heritage acquires film of first re-enactment, ‘a lot of pushing and shoving’ between Kent and Sussex students

At the top of a hill in a field near Hastings, a group of defiant English combatants awaited the invading army of William the Conqueror, brandishing their spears and shouting “Harold! Harold!”.

Unfortunately, the Norman army had been held up in traffic on the A27 from Brighton, meaning the most significant battle in English history had to be delayed by 20 minutes while the French got into their costumes.