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FULFORD AND STAMFORD BRIDGE BATTLE

Posted by ricey on December 18, 2006 11:46 PM | Permalink

FAMOUS BRITISH BATTLES

The coronation of Harold—Harold II. to give him his proper title—took pJace early in the year 1066. The old Chronicle gives the date of the ceremony as " soon after Twelfth-day." It will be remembered that Tostig, his tyrannical brother, after being exiled from the earldom of Northumberland, accompanied by his wife, family, and a few followers, had taken refuge with his brother-in-law, Baldwin, Count of Flanders. Morcar ruled the earldom in his place. Mer'cia was governed by Edwin. In exile Tostig prepared his plans for reconquest and revenge. But unable single-handed to even hope for victory, he naturally looked about for external aid. This he found after negotiation in Norway, where alliance was made with the King, Harald Hardrada. King Haraid Hardrada prepared a mighty fleet—the largest that had ever sailed forth from Norway— to engage in hostilities with England.

During the time which was occupied in equipping this fleetTostig, with some sixty vessels, started on his expedition. His first point of attack was the Isle of Wight, where great, barbarities were practised and a heavy fine in money was exacted. Sailing eastwards along the coast he ravaged all the maritime towns as far as Sandwich. Meanwhile Harold in London had heard of the invasion, and marching himself with troops to Sandwich also sent a fleet in pursuit of Tostig. Both his endeavours missed their aim. He arrived at Sandwich only to find that Tostig had sailed away northwards, and that he had slipped by the fleet. The invader kept out at sea till the coasts of Essex and Suffolk had been passed ; but, descending on Norfolk and Lincolnshire, repeated the barbarities he had already practised in the south. He then entered the Humber and ravaged Yorkshire. Edwin, Earl of Mercia, and Morcar, Ear] of Northumberland, apprised of the invasion, collected what forces they could, aiid marched prepared to combat the invaders. This they successfully did, and drove the rebel earl back in disorder to his ships. Sailing in haste from the Humber, Tostig found his passage blocked by the fleet of Harold and was forced to give battle. Here on the sea as previously on land he suffered defeat, so much so that with only a bare remnant of his fleet, some dozen ships, he managed to escape to Scotland.

These events took place in the early summer of 1066. Meanwhile the Norwegian preparations were completed, and a mighty fleet started forth from the rugged inlets of that much-indented coast. Accounts differ as to the number of vessels, some authorities placing it as low as two hundred,while others estimate it as high as one thousand. Probably three hundred is about the correct figure. Harald Hardrada sailed for the Tyne, and there awaited Tostig, who, having obtained more ships and men in Scotland and even from the far Orkneys, effected a junction in safety. The united fleets sailed for the Humber, and made their way up the Yorkshire Ouse to a spot near the village of Riccall and situated ten miles south of York. Here the ships were drawn up, and the invaders effected an unopposed landing. Proceeding rapidly to York, they designed to storm that city. Fugitives —for everywhere the country people fled panic-stricken before the advance of this terrible host—brought news to the Earls of Northumberland and Mercia. These again gathered their forces, enlisted all possible additional fighting men, and, together with the garrison of York, marched out to repel the invasion. With the city of York a mile and a half to the north and behind them, they met Tostig and Hardrada. The scene of the encounter was the village of Fulford, situated on the northern bank of the Ouse ; the date Wednesday, September 20, 1066, the Eve of St. Matthew.

The battle was of short duration, though the fighting was hard and the loss of life severe. No specific details of importance have come down to us, and it may be safely assumed that the ordinary formation of Jocked shields was employed according as one side or the other found itself compelled to act on the defensive. At first victory is stated to have inclined towards the English, who doubtless in the commencement of the battle acted as assailants. Later in the day the invaders changed the fortune of the fight, and the English fell in heaps beneath the onslaught of the terrible two-handed swords of the Northmen. Rolled back westwards, numbers met their death by drowning in the river Ouse, many more never even reached its banks. The clergy of York who, with the view of encouraging their Christian countrymen, had accompanied the force into the field, died, it is stated, to the number of one hundred. The defeat became a rout, and the dispirited remnant fled headlong into the walled city, only to surrender at discretion without further resistance. On September 23rd the victorious invaders exacted a large supply of provisions and seized 500 hostages. Orders were given that the Norwegian dead should be respected and honourably buried. It is stated that 150 Norwegian hostages were left in the city by the invaders as a pledge of good faith. This is a curious fact if true, and it is more reasonable to suppose that this body of men was detailed to perform or ensure the performance of the pagan rites at the numerous funerals of their slain. Christian York would not have done this satisfactorily, even if the ritual in all its details had been familiar. Retracing their steps to Riccall the 500 hostages were left under the guard of Olaf, the son of the Norwegian king, and a compact to subdue the entire kingdom, was solemnly entered into by the rebel earl and Hardrada.

Harold, after his unavailing march to Sandwich, had been employed in watching the southern coast of England, knowing that a Norman invasion in that quarter was imminent. His headquarters were in the Isle of Wight, which place he left on September 8th, provisions failing, and crossing to Hampshire returned to London, the fleet sailing round. In London the news-of the combined attack of Hardrada and Tostig on his northern dominions reached him, and with forced marches he hastened to oppose them. On his way intelligence of the landing at Riccall, speedily followed by the tale of the disaster at Fulford, was reported, and without doubt still further urged him on. Too late to avert the surrender of York, he reached Tadcaster on Sunday, September 24th, the day after that event. Without turning aside to demolish the camp and the ships of the invaders at Riccall, he immediately marched to Stamford Bridge, where the invaders' army was drawn up to give him battle.

The village of Stamford Bridge now stands on both sides of the river Derwent, at a distance of eight miles to the east of York. At the time of the battle the river, which is between 35 to 40 feet in width, was spanned by a rough, wooden bridge resting on stone piers. This bridge has.now been destroyed. A second and later bridge, which stood nearer the present one, has also vanished. The bridge now standing occupies a site rather more than a quarter of a mile below the bridge existing in 1066. On either side of the river, which runs in a deep channel and with little current, there are two ridges of high ground, the steeper of which is on the east bank. The invaders posted troops on the western ridge, a strong party occupied the ground on the bank and held the bridge, while the main body was extended along the higher ground on the eastern bank. Harold, it will be remembered, was approaching from the west. The ground was well chosen, and according to the generalship of those days the disposition of the troops was excellent. The outposts on the west bank would act as scouts and obtain early notice of the advent of Harold. They would then fall back on the body guarding the bridge and would augment it to a strength assumed to be more than sufficient to successfully hold its narrow passage. At the worst, and if driven across, the bulk of the army would be prepared to deal with the English as they hurried in single file over the dead and dying on the bridge itself. These dispositions were apparently complete before nightfall on Sunday, September 24th, for by dawn on Monday morning, in a " cloud of dust," the avenging English rushed onwards to the attack. In a semicircular formation, or at any rate not in a complete circle, the Norwegians, with locked shields and acting on the defensive, endeavoured to maintain command over the western bridge head, and for some hours did so successfully. After a while, however, the English were not to be denied, and the bulk of the foe retreated across the bridge. At this period it is stated that, single-handed, a gigantic Norwegian, armed with an axe, regardless of arrow, axe, sword, or spear, held the bridge against all comers, and for some time kept the entire English army at bay. The statement that he did so for a space of nine hours is of course ridiculous. This brave man met his death by a spear-thrust delivered through one of the cracks in the bridge, a house-carl- .in a flat-bottomed boat having managed by good luck to get beneath that probably rickety 'structure. Curiously enough Hereford lost his life at another battle in Yorkshire, viz., Boroughbridge, in precisely the same way. The story of the huge Norwegian is a grand one, and he deserved at least to have fallen in fair fight. Some writers have credited Harald Hardrada, a man of notoriously tall stature, with being the hero of this noteworthy exploit ; but of this there is no proof.

The bridge was won, for on the fall of the champion those who had supported him fell back on the main army. On pressed the English, slowly but surely, for the passage was not wide enough to admit of speedy crossing, even if the use of boats and possibly of bits of timber be admitted. Anything like a dam of dead bodies could not have taken place, for the river is too deep. Steadily the attack was pressed home, and inch by inch, foot by foot, the battle line mounted the rising ground on the east bank of the river, topped the crest, and driving their opponents down the opposite side finished the struggle in the " Battle Flats" beyond.

The whole of the strife was noble even in its utter barbarity. Tostig himself died by the sword of Harold. Harald Har-drada fell pierced by an arrow. The Norse standard, " The Land Ravager," was overturned, never to be again raised in England.

Of the number of the slain, either in the battle or in the subsequent pursuit, there is no record. But it is significant to read that but twenty-four ships sufficed to convey back to Norway the relics of a force which had filled three hundred when outward bound. But little mercy was shown by the victors, save in one notable instance. Fugitives were pursued and slain whenever met, both by the victors and the country folks. Driven into the Derwent many were drowned ; even more, perhaps, lost their lives in the Ouse. The fleet at Riccall was burned, but with a wise moderation Harold saved the lives of Olaf the Prince, and Paul, the Earl of Orkney, who were taken prisoners. Politically it was a most sagacious act to set free and to send these two prisoners home bearing sorrowful news indeed. Pledges were of course extracted from them, and such was the lesson taught the Northmen by Harold the ill-fated, on the Battle Flats of Stamford Bridge by the Derwent, that those pledges have never yet been broken. The accumulation of English loot found in the Norwegian camp became the spoil of the victors—or rather of Harold, for he appears to have appropriated rather more than the lion's share. The slain, it seems, were in part honourably buried—probably those of higher rank ; the commoner sort being left to rot where they Jay. Tostig's body being recognised, was carried to a spot near Riccall, where, according to tradition, it was buried beneath a tumulus. There is an encampment and several tumuli at Skipwith Common, to this day locally known as Danes Hills. A place-name near—viz., Olaf's Lane—curiously recalls this long-gone fight. Round the actual battlefield itself traces of the slaughter have often been found. One field to the north-east of the village is still called Danes Garth or Dean-Well Garth. In a little close, surrounded by a small earthwork and belonging to Bossall Church, many bones of the slain were collected long after the battle from the fields by the river-bank and buried. A memory of the exploit of the man in the boat who slew the defender of the bridge yet survives in a curious custom, or did so till lately. It was called " Pear-Pie Feast," and was celebrated in September. Queer tub-shaped pies were made and consumed, it being a local tradition that a swine-tub, not a boat, was used by the house-carl beneath the bridge.

This is the unvarnished tale of the great victory of Stamford Bridge—a victory which for a month saved the kingdom. The night of the battle Harold, victorious, entered York, and there remained for a space of three days feasting. At the festive board, on the third day, came the news that the long-dreaded invasion from Normandy was an accomplished fact, as Duke William had landed at Pevensey.