ARCHAEOLOGIST Charles ‘Chas’ Jones has lost his High Court skirmish over the Battle of Fulford.

Mr Jones had challenged a refusal by English Heritage to register Germany Beck, on York’s southern outskirts at Fulford, as the site of the first battle of 1066.

Having carried out extensive research, he argued that the site, where York housebuilder Persimmon controversially wants to build 650 homes, was the most probable site.

But English Heritage, which protects and promotes historical sites round the country, refused to designate the site on an official Battlefield Register after concluding that even though it probably was the battlefield site, the evidence was insufficiently conclusive.

Mr Justice Lindblom, sitting in London, ruled yesterday that its decision not to register was “impeccable.”

He said this would be disappointing for Mr Jones, who was to be admired for the work he had done over many years in seeking to find the site of the battle and who might be right in his belief.

However, the court’s task had only been to decide whether English Heritage’s decision was legally flawed and in his view, there was no error of law.

Persimmon was unavailable for comment, but it vowed recently to start work on the housing development as soon as possible, after a different court challenge by Fulford Parish Council was thrown out.