The greatest battle of 1066: No, not THAT defeat at Hastings but King Harold’s blood-soaked rout of a 7ft Viking warlord at Stamford Bridge. Now TV historian Dan Snow reveals how the real site has finally been unearthed after a painstaking search
A newly rediscovered site of the 1066 Battle of Stamford Bridge, uncovered by archaeologists and metal detectorists in Yorkshire, is being showcased in a History Hit documentary presented by Dan Snow. The battle saw King Harold's English army defeat an invading Norwegian force led by Harald "Hardrada" Hardrada, and though historically overshadowed by the Battle of Hastings just 19 days later, it is being reassessed as one of England's greatest military victories and a decisive end to the Viking age in England.
The find comes after years of painstaking fieldwork, yielding weapons and mail armour left on the battlefield since the fighting in September 1066. Hardrada, reputedly around 7ft tall and nicknamed the "Bulgar Burner" after crushing a Bulgarian revolt, had built his reputation fighting for the Byzantine Empire before returning to Scandinavia to press his claim to the English throne following the death of Edward the Confessor. His defeat and death at Stamford Bridge came shortly before Harold's own army was beaten by William, Duke of Normandy, at Hastings.
- Archaeologists have located the lost site of the Battle of Stamford Bridge.
- Dan Snow's documentary reveals weapons and armour recovered from the field.
- The 1066 victory over Viking king Hardrada preceded England's defeat at Hastings.
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Since 1066, the Battle of Hastings has dominated how people remember that year, largely because it decided who would rule England. Less well known is that King Harold had already fought and won a major battle just weeks earlier, at Stamford Bridge near York, against an invading Norwegian army.
That Norwegian force was led by Harald Hardrada, a formidable warrior-king who had made his name fighting for the Byzantine Empire before returning north to pursue his own claim to the English throne after the death of King Edward the Confessor. Harold's victory over him at Stamford Bridge ended that threat, but his forces then had to march south to face a second invasion, from William, Duke of Normandy, at Hastings on 14 October 1066.
Archaeologists and metal detectorists have now identified what they believe is the actual site of the Stamford Bridge fighting, recovering weapons and armour left behind since 1066. The find, explored in a documentary by historian Dan Snow, is prompting a reassessment of the battle's significance, both as a military victory and as a turning point marking the end of Viking incursions into England.