Norman Invasion Landing Site - Combe Haven

Click 'Share' to pass on this film! Did William, 7th Duke of Normandy. really land his invasion fleet at Pevensey? Not according to some surprising evidence. William had very good intelligence on the best landing sites to use and planned the landings down to the last detail with William Fitzosbern and Roger of Montgomery, the chief architects of the invasion. FitzOsbern's younger brother, Osbern, was one of Edward the Confessor's chaplains and possessed the church of Bosham in Sussex. As such he was well placed to pass along intelligence on the situation in England prior to the invasion. This film covers a preliminary recon of William's Combe Haven landing site at the Bulverhythe by Hastings Old Port, as well as the lower and upper fort areas he constructed, depicted in the Bayeux Tapestry and original literary sources. There's evidence some, if not all of the 700 plus boats of the Norman fleet were specially designed and built so they could be dismantled in England and the wood used to construct forts. The literature implies that some boats were burnt as a statement of intent of 'no going back'. Others were dismantled for further use. Still others earthed up on the shore. The question is, are those still earthed up below the old shoreline and what might be left? For more information, see Secrets of the Norman Invasion on Facebook. (Film best viewed in 720p, full screen).