A NEW exhibition will be launched this week to mark the 955th anniversary of the 1066 Battle of Fulford.

Sunday September 19 will mark 955 years since King Harald ‘Hardrada’ and his Viking army landed at Fulford.

To commemorate this first battle of 1066, in a campaign that would witness the destruction of the Anglo-Saxon line, an outdoor exhibition, talk and walk of the battle will take place.

Chas Jones, leader of the research, said: “Scientific analysis has recently allowed the arrows found near Harald’s landing place to be related to each other - so it is probable that they were all being fired from the opposite bank at Harald’s army when they landed.”

The exhibition will include images of the fragments of sword blades which were excavated during four seasons of digs by the team of volunteers, which earlier identified the Roman-built ford - which according to early writings was at the heart of the battle on September 20 1066.

The Battle of Fulford was fought on the outskirts of the village when King Harald and Tostig Godwinson, his English ally, fought and defeated the Northern Earls Edwin and Morcar.

The battle was a victory for the Viking army. The earls of York could have hidden behind the walls of their city but instead they met the Viking army across a river. All day the English desperately tried to break the Viking shield wall but to no avail.

Fulford was the site of the first of three major battles in 1066 which changed the course of history, coming before the Battle of Stamford Bridge and then the Battle of Hastings.

Mr Jones added: “The lockdown provided the time to investigate some mysterious lumps which had been excavated earlier. I was astonished to discover wafer-thin tips of weapons is some and the unique profile of swords in others.

“I am sure that many more pieces will be identified, but the task is now to work out how best to investigate these precious pieces of archaeology.”

The talk will start at 2pm and the walk at 2.30 starting from the Fulford Parish playing field on Fordlands Road, opposite Fulford Cemetery on September 19.

Most of the metal finds are currently undergoing various scientific investigations, some sponsored by Historic England who are in the process of deciding if Fulford should be added to the list of designated battle-sites.