For the first time in almost 900 years, the Bayeux Tapestry has returned to England. From 10 September to 11 July 2027, the 70-metre long tapestry will be exhibited at the British Museum in London, on loan from the French government temporarily while the museum in Normandy undergoes renovation work. But, for all that this is a historic moment of post-Brexit Anglo-French unity, the embroidery’s relocation has been beset by obstacles that unfortunately raise the ultimate question—is it actually worth visiting in Britain?
I must confess that I write from a particularly privileged position, having been lucky enough to see the Tapestry three years ago in Bayeux. This is perhaps why I feel a little disappointed that its opening at the British Museum has seemed somewhat more lacklustre than curators, historians, and the public had anticipated.
But first, a short history. Created in the 11th century to portray the events of the Battle of Hastings, the Tapestry (which is in fact an embroidery) is most likely to have been commissioned by Bishop Odo of Bayeux to immortalise the events that brought about the Norman conquest of England. Beginning with depicting Harold Godwinson’s involvement with William of Normandy in France, where he swore his loyalty to William in the case of him contending the English throne, the tapestry then portrays Harold’s journey home and eventual inheritance of Edward the Confessor’s throne. Betrayed, William builds a fleet and invades England, where he clashes with Harold at Hastings in perhaps the most famous battle in English cultural memory. If we believe the Tapestry—which most historians, for reference, do not—this is where Harold Godwinson died by taking an arrow through the eye, and thus ended Anglo-Danish rule in England.
Given that the Tapestry depicts one of the greatest turning points in the nation’s history, it is no wonder that its arrival in London has been the subject of scrutiny. On a basic level, one can argue that it is about time—the Tapestry was almost certainly created in Canterbury, judging by the significant cross over of motifs embroidered onto it and used on illuminated manuscripts in the city during the period. Equally, it continues to function as a cultural touchstone in English concepts of the past to this day. In 2014, Nigel Farage co-opted the Tapestry’s narrative for his own anti-migrant beliefs by wearing a tie bearing its designs, stating it was the “last time we were invaded and taken over”. Associated as it is with concepts of national glory and heritage, that the British public are so keen to see it in person is therefore understandable.
And yet, the public’s ability to actually do so has undeniably been undermined by the conditions of its exhibition. When I saw the Tapestry in Bayeux, I paid a mere five euros as a student, and my parents paid twelve each. We were among maybe twenty others in the museum, and received free audio guides (available in 16 languages!) which accompanied us along the 70 metre long passageway. When we finished it once, we were able to loop back around and start again, as many times as we liked.
At the British Museum, however, guests have to fork out £33 for a single adult ticket, and are limited to 40 minutes in the exhibition. Moreover, in several instances, the museum had overbooked the slots, and visitors were turned away at the doors. For those who did manage to see it, complaints of queues and poor accessibility adjustments followed—at first, the Museum did not so much as offer audio guides, and the Tapestry’s flat display has rendered it particularly challenging for wheelchair users to view. Perhaps such issues are to be expected during a short-term exhibition, but for such an increased price and competitive ticket process, the entire experience has certainly been lacking the air of glory and triumph that the public naturally expect.
So, should you go and see the Bayeux Tapestry while it is in London? If you live in easily-travellable distance, love to queue, and won’t be devastated if you get turned away, then I don’t see why not. If you’re truly looking to experience the work done right, you’re probably better off giving it a miss and sticking to the more peaceful, thorough experience provided by the Bayeux Museum’s Online Exploration site, because, in a rare instance, the French seem to have seriously beaten us to the mark.
Photo by Nicolas Lysandrou on Unsplash
