It’s the only remaining pictorial account of these events
This might not seem like extraordinary news, but as the only sources from the time are written, it’s something worth noting. The majority of people during the Middle Ages won’t have been able to read, and so the tapestry would have been commissioned so that it could be understood en masse. It’s the same today: the majority of Brits today won’t have access to these written documents, and so, the exhibition of the Bayeux tapestry has made it accessible for all.
It captures what women lived through during that time period
While the chances are high that the tapestry was made by women, there are very few depicted in the artefact. However, those that are give an insight into the women’s lives during that period.
In one scene, a male cleric appears to touch a startled women’s space. In another, a woman presumed to be Queen Edith – wife of King Edward ‘the Confessor’ and sister of Harold ‘Godwinson’ – weeps at her husband’s deathbed, while a third woman flees a burning building set alight by Norman soldiers with a child in tow. From this, you can understand that a women’s plight during the Norman conquest would have likely experienced sexual assault, displacement and grave loss.
One of the tapestry’s biggest mysteries is the identity of Ælfgyva, who’s shown within an arched frame, apparently being assaulted by a priest. This is confirmed by a naked figure in the lower border mimicking the priest’s pose. While her identity has been speculated as several possibilities, a recent article co-authored by Michael Lewis, lead curator of the British Museum The Bayeux Tapestry experience, suggests that Ælfgyva may be Emma of Normandy
Bayeux Tapestry, detail (Photo by: Universal History Archive/Universal Images Group via Getty Images)Universal History Archive/Getty Images
How to get tickets
As mentioned, tickets from the exhibitions opening date (September 10th) until the end December 31st have sold out – but fear not! Tickets for January to July 2027 will be on sale later this year. Simply sign up to The British Museum newsletter to stay up to date as to when they’ll be available.
If you’re desperate to see it sooner, consider becoming a member. Members priority booking opened on 16 June for visits from 10 September to 31 December. There are limited time slots now remaining.