1066 anniversary plans step up a gear

With just over a year to go, the preparations for a day of special events on October 14 2016 are stepping up a gear.

Concorde 1066, the team behind the plans, has put together a programme of events to mark the historic occasion.

A commemorative church service will remember the fallen on both sides of the conflict, followed by a small ceremony at the Souvenir Nomand stone in Battle Abbey, near where King Harold met his fate.

One of the highlights of the day will be a performance from the Gurkha Military Band, which will also lead a parade through the town.

The day will come to a close with a reception at the Abbot’s Hall, in Battle Abbey School, with guests to include event patron Lord Lieutenant Peter Field.

Six mayors from France have been sent invitations to attend the commemoration, including the mayor of Falaise, where William the Conqueror was born, and Battle’s Twin Town of St Vallery.

Simon Alexander, chairman of Concorde 1066, said: “The Battle of Hastings was a hugely significant affair and it’s repercussions have echoed down the centuries. Here in Battle we tend to take it all for granted but we feel that Battle itself is ‘a child of conquest’. Every trip down Battle High Street reminds us of what happened here in 1066.”

The team is producing an eye-catching 56-page handbook, due to be published in May, featuring all you would ever need to know about the Battle of Hastings.

The plans are gaining great support from the town and there is still time to get involved.

All are welcome to attend the Concorde 1066 AGM on September 28, at The Almonry from 10am. To find out more about Concorde 1066, visit the group’s new website at www.concorde1066.co.uk