Battle of Hastings commemorated 950 years later

EAST SUSSEX, England, Oct. 15 (UPI) -- Thousands of people gathered on Friday at Battle Abbey in East Sussex, England to mark the 950th anniversary of Britain's famous Battle of Hastings.

The battle, which took place on Oct. 14, 1066 between William of Normandy and Anglo-Saxon King Harold II, heralded the beginning of the Norman conquest of England.

A group of re-enactors traveled the 300-mile route taken by King Harold and the ill-fated English army, which took them a month to complete.

"In 300 miles we have seen some great countryside," said Nigel Amos, who traveled with the group. "We have got a feeling of what it would have felt like to have come that distance on that fateful march. This is a tribute to King Harold and all of the warriors of 1066 because they are what made this country."

The two "armies" will come together in front of a sold-out crowd for a re-enactment of the battle itself.

William MacDonald, who was participating in the weekend's festivities, said that there are no hard feelings on either side of the battlefield.

"You've got to bear in mind, that was 950 years ago," he deadpanned. "Attitudes changed."