Having established that the document has a valid provenance it is necessary then to look at the translation of the Latin because it too states that the Normans landed at Pevensey. However this is shown to be like most of the other documents incorrect. It was used by most of those who wrote upon the subject. The most important being William de Jumieges, in the ‘Gesta Normannorum Ducum’ and by Orderic Vitalis and Robert Torigni in ‘Historia Ecclesiastica Normannorum’. Over forty copies where made and form the basic bundle of documents read by any academic reader, believing the translation reflects what was written by the original author. Details are covered in the book 1066 the Battlefield by Nick Austin (2024). Ms Tyson, who translated this work, like Ms Van Houts noticed that there was an issue with the very first translation of the C version when Ms. van Houts had done her work on the manuscript. The landing site story had been written by Jumieges as naming the landing site as ‘Pebesellum’. All later documents changed the name of the landing site to versions of the then current name for Pevensey.
It may be impossible to recall, but it was not in the days of photocopiers. If a copy of a document was required it would need to be ordered from a monk or you would do it yourself. It could take years to be delivered and was usually only available to people with access to the court or church. As a consequence no correction was ever issued and naming Pevensey became impossible to verify, other than by looking at the original document. It is a fatal flaw in historical research that eventually gets eliminated, as notes are compared. It may take ten years and sometimes a hundred. In this case it has taken nearly a thousand for the error to come to light.
Upon checking with the UK naming authority it is not possible for a ‘Peb’ to become a ‘Pev’ in English language naming tradition. The original name must therefore have been the one William de Jumieges wrote down. Further research has established that Hastings port was one and a half miles upstream on the Combe Haven at the time and therefore must have been close to Wylting Farm (Hastings on the other side of the river).
Further research undertaken in the recent book 1066 The Battlefield confirms that the name ‘Pebesellum’ used for the landing by Jumieges is in fact ‘Pebsham Manor’ on the Combe Haven river opposite Hastings old port, where boats have recently been identified. In consequence Hastings was correctly named in the Jumieges document and all those who named Pevensey as the landing site, after William de Jumieges translated the text from the the wrong name choosing Pevensey.
Whilst it may answer the question “Where did the Norman land"? it now confirms Hastings as the landing site of the Norman army. However, it does not explain the issue of why after twenty or so years the Bayeux Tapestry was hung in Bayeux Cathedral. It is considered wholly authentic, because it was viewed by those who took part in the battle, featuring the words ‘Ad Pevensey’ embroidered on the central section crossing the Channel.