An introduction to our next few episodes, all about shields. Jason gives some hints of things to come over the next few weeks and tells how shields were absolutely pivotal in the battle that shaped Britain’s future.
• Executive Producer: Jason Kingsley OBE • Executive Producer: Chris Kingsley • Senior Producer: Brian Jenkins • Producer: Edward Linley • Director: Dominic Read • Presenter: Jason Kingsley OBE • Director of Photography: Ed Mash • Camera: Andy Berryman • Stills Photographer: Kasumi • Associate Producer: James Howard • Audio: Frank Newman • Sound Design: Nick D. Brewer • Animation Artwork: Edouard Groult • Music licensed from PremiumBeat • Additional Camera: Darren Cook • Additional Camera: Neil Phillips • Additional Sound: Elizabeth Carlyon
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The shield along with the sword probably helps define the medieval age in our subconscious.
But the success or failure of the shield wall
has determined our history as a people on these islands.
Perhaps the most well-known shield wall in English history is the one in 1066
at the Battle of Hastings. Imagine the scene. Harold Godwinson's forces arrayed along
500 metres long, many men deep, blocking Duke William's approach to London.
What does Duke William do? He sends in his archers. The archers shoot their arrows against
that shield wall. The shield wall holds firm. He then sends in his special forces, his cavalry.
They slam into the shield wall, have no effect on it whatsoever. The shield wall holds. He then
sends in his foot soldiers. They slam into the shield wall as well. Shield wall still holds.
For the whole day, that Anglo-Saxon shield wall held firm on the top of Senlac Hill. It is only
when some of the perhaps less experienced members of the shield wall attacked down the hill,
thinking they'd won, the Norman cavalry turned around and cut them down in turn.
That is the beginning of the end of the Battle of Hastings and the beginning of Duke William's
conquest of England. Let's have a look at the medieval shield, how it was developed,
how it evolved over time and how it was used by the medieval warrior. We're going to talk to an
expert shield maker and get some of that knowledge about how a shield is actually put together,
what materials were used, how they interacted to make a solid defensive platform. And finally,
once we've got the shields made, we're going to gather a group of people together and we're going
to put them into a shield wall and we're going to slam the shield walls together. We're not
choreographing this either. So unlike film and TV, we don't actually know what's going to happen.
We're going to try it for real. We're going to see whether those tales in the sagas are actually true
or whether they're made up nonsense. Thank you for watching. Please like and subscribe and use
the notification button too. We're going to be doing new shows every Friday and I look forward
to seeing you then.
