Bayeux Tapestry bounce to be felt in Scotland as work returns to England

A scene from the Bayeux Tapestry depicting 1066 Battle of Hastings PIC: CC. | CC

Three Scottish cultural venues have been selected to channel excitement and education around the visit of the Bayeux Tapestry to these shores.

For the first time since it was made nearly 1,000 years ago, the Bayeux Tapestry is returning to England.

The Bayeux Tapestry show at the British Museum in London will open to the public in September and run until July next year.

The full 70-metre long tapestry will be displayed flat for the first time in a specially- constructed case.

It follows an historic agreement with France to bring the tapestry, which depicts events leading up to the Battle of Hastings and the Norman Conquest of England in 1066, to London.

A nationwide series of events will accompany the exhibition with The Great Tapestry of Scotland in Galashiels, Dovecot Studios in Edinburgh and The Stirling Smith Art Gallery & Museum selected for the ‘Bayeux Around Britain’ programme.

Together, the three venues aim to reflect the enduring influence of the Bayeux Tapestry on contemporary Scottish art, storytelling and heritage.

Sandy Maxwell-Forbes, Visitor Attraction Manager at Live Borders, the charitable trust responsible for operating The Great Tapestry of Scotland centre said: “We are thrilled that The Great Tapestry of Scotland has been selected as a Scottish partner in the British Museum's national programme celebrating the Bayeux Tapestry.

"As the home of one of the world's longest tapestries, which was inspired by the Bayeux Tapestry, we are uniquely placed to help visitors explore the remarkable connections between these two extraordinary works.

“The Bayeux Tapestry was the inspiration behind artist Andrew Crummy's vision for The Great Tapestry of Scotland, which even includes a panel featuring St Margaret of Scotland, the English princess who sought refuge in Scotland following the Norman Conquest of 1066, creating a direct connection to the period depicted in Bayeux.

“While separated by almost a thousand years, both works tell powerful stories of nationhood, identity and shared history, brought to life through the skill and dedication of communities of stitchers”

Ms Maxwell-Forbes said the programme would also celebrate the “enduring cultural and historical links between Scotland and France” while showcasing The Great Tapestry of Scotland as “one of Scotland’s most significant community heritage projects”.

Meanwhile, at Dovecot Studios in Edinburgh, a full-scale printed replica of the Bayeux Tapestry will be displayed across its world-renowned Tapestry Studio Viewing Balcony, allowing visitors to experience its extraordinary scale and detail.

Alongside the replica, Dovecot’s weavers and volunteers are creating two new panels, one in embroidery and one in tapestry, offering a unique comparison of these traditional techniques.

The Stirling Smith Art Gallery & Museum is mounting a major programme exploring the enduring power of tapestry and its ability to visualise “hidden histories and untold stories”.

Kirstie Campbell, Assistant Director of The Smith said: "From the Bayeux Tapestry's medieval chronicle to contemporary community‑stitched works, tapestry remains a uniquely compelling art form

“.What makes it so special is its ability to connect people – not only across centuries, but right now, in the same room, around the same cloth. This programme celebrates tapestry's timeless power to record, interpret and bring human lives together.”