Champney Treasure House will feature a display about the Battle of Stamford Bridge Heritage Society’s work
Part of the Bayeux Tapestry as it was displayed in Normandy.(Image: AP)
The story of the Bayeux Tapestry is to be told at a Beverley museum amid the medieval artefact’s first return to England in 900 years. Champney Treasure House will host part of the ‘Bayeux Around Britain’ initiative – a nationwide programme tied to the cloth’s return from France to the British Museum.
It is the first time the tapestry has come to England since it was made here around 1070 to 1077 AD. East Riding Museums’ ‘Dyed in History’ display case has been produced in partnership with the Battle of Stamford Bridge Heritage Society (BOSBHS), as part of the national effort.
Over the past decade, BOSBHS has researched how wool was dyed to make textiles like Bayeux, which is an embroidery stitched in wool on linen. The Champney Treasure House display case shows plants and minerals that would have been familiar to dyers at the time that the Bayeux Tapestry was made and shares the work that the society do today to keep ancient skills and crafts alive.
The exhibition will open on September 10, running until July 11, 2027. The Beverley venue is joined by others hosting digital displays, including The Museum of Cornish Life in Cornwall, Knutsford Heritage Centre in Cheshire and The Great Tapestry of Scotland. Meanwhile Hastings is to become a major learning hub due to its links to the 1066 battle.
Prime Minister Andy Burnham said: “The return of the Bayeux Tapestry to England is a landmark moment in the history of our two nations, and I want people everywhere in the country to be able to enjoy it. The Bayeux Around Britain campaign will give communities across the UK the opportunity to learn about one of the defining stories of our past.
“As we celebrate our shared heritage, President Macron and I will continue to strengthen the relationship between our two nations.”
Culture Secretary Lisa Nandy said: “Britain and France have a unique shared history and nothing symbolises it more than the Bayeux Tapestry. This will be the first generation in 1000 years who will be able to see this unique part of our heritage and we are determined that children from all backgrounds across every part of Britain have the chance to see it.
“The British Museum has pulled out all the stops to ensure that a generation of British children will remember it for the rest of their lives. Great works of art belong to us all, and I am proud to be part of the government that has delivered such a significant cultural, historical and diplomatic moment for this country.”
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