If 1066 is popularly held to be ‘the most-famous date in English history’, then the Bayeux Tapestry – which depicts the events leading up to the Battle of Hastings and the Norman Conquest – must be one of the most celebrated and immediately recognisable representations of the medieval world, offering a vibrantly colourful and dramatic window into specific and highly significant events that took place centuries ago.
The Tapestry (actually an embroidery; its English name is a literal translation of the French word tapisserie, which simply means a textile wall-hanging) is formed from plant-dyed woollen threads stitched on to a linen base. Its colours are still wonderfully bright, despite their age; ironically, faded patches within the design tend to reflect modern repairs using less-durable synthetic dyes.
While debate has long raged about which side of the Channel the Tapestry was made on, today the prevailing view is that it was stitched by English women, who were renowned in the 11th century for their skill in such arts. Even William the Conqueror’s chaplain and staunch supporter William of Poitiers acknowledged that ‘England’s women are highly distinguished in needlework and embroidering’. The beautifully illustrated book about the Tapestry, edited by British Museum curators Sue Brunning, Lloyd de Beer, Michael Lewis, and Naomi Speakman – one of a suite of publications released by the museum to accompany their exhibition (see ‘Further information’ below and here) – offers further evidence of English inspiration. Many of the Tapestry’s scenes are clearly influenced by illuminated manuscripts housed in Canterbury’s monastic libraries, suggesting that the embroidery was done in or near this Kentish city. The rather laconic Latin captions (tituli) above each scene hint at an English hand in their creation, too, as the text often uses Old English spellings such as ‘Bagias’ for Bayeux, as well as retaining letters like the æsc at the start of the name Ælfygyva and the eth at the end of Gyrð.
