Battle Abbey School features in 1066 documentary

Battle Abbey pupils were invited to form a shield wall as part of Dan Snow's BBC drama documentary '˜1066: A Year to Conquer England'.

The pupils, from Battle Abbey Senior School, adopted the role of both Saxon defender and Norman attacker to recreate the tactics adopted in the Battle of Hastings.

Under the oversight of historian Dan Snow, pupils put to the test the Saxon shield wall which was historically said to be virtually impenetrable to enemy attack.

The documentary was filmed last year as part of the general focus on the 950th anniversary of the Battle.

In the three-part series, Dan Snow explores the political intrigues and family betrayals between Vikings, Anglo-Saxons and Normans that led to war and the Battle of Hastings. The documentary is available on the BBC iPlayer until April 11.