Came across this news item
http://www.archaeology.org/news/2222-140612-battle-hastings-excavation
Of course it begs the question where exactly are they digging, ie what bit does the dig leader think is the actual battlefield! :)
A bit more at http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2014/06/140611102124.htm (http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2014/06/140611102124.htm):
QuoteHowever, as he collaborates with English Heritage to plan his investigation of Hastings, he is working on the assumption that the Battle of Hastings in 1066 was fought on its traditional site, even though there have been attempts to establish an alternative location.
"I have no reason to believe that any of the alternatives are likely," said Dr Foard
As one of the aims is to assess contamination of the archaeology from re-enactment activity, the excavation will logically be in the area used for the re-enactments, which are the fields below the abbey IIRC. Unfortunately, like the time team excavation before them, they are going to lose anything that has come lose and is in the topsoil. Will there be much in the lower layers? We shall see.
It strikes me as damn difficult to find anything on the traditional site, and a better effort might be to go for the predicted burial sites, to see if any can give credence to a field location.
There cant be much metal left on the main hill worth funding