It is the only surviving pictorial account of these events
This may not seem like extraordinary news, but as the only sources written at the time, it is worth noting. During the Middle Ages most people could not read, and so the tapestry would have been commissioned so that it could be understood collectively. The same is true today: most Britons today would not have access to these written documents, and so, the exhibition of the Bayeux Tapestry has made it accessible to all.
It captures what women lived through during that period
While the chances are high that the tapestries were made by women, there are very few depicted in the artwork. However, which gives an insight into the life of women during that period.
In one scene, a male cleric is seen touching a shocking woman’s genitals. In another, believed to be Queen Edith – wife of King Edward ‘the Confessor’ and sister of Harold ‘Godwinson’ – weeps over her husband’s deathbed, while a third woman with a child flees a burning building set ablaze by Norman soldiers. From this, you can understand the plight of women who experienced sexual assault, displacement and severe harm during the Norman Conquest.
One of the greatest mysteries of the tapestry is the identity of Elfgyva, who is depicted in an arched frame, apparently attacked by a priest. This is confirmed by a nude figure in the lower border imitating the pose of a priest. While her identity has been speculated as a number of possibilities, a recent article co-authored by Michael Lewis, Chief Curator of the British Museum’s 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 are sold out from the exhibition opening date (September 10th) until the end of December 31st – but fear not! Tickets for January to July 2027 will go on sale later this year. empty Sign up to the British Museum newsletter To be updated on when they will be available.
If you’re desperate to see it early, consider becoming a member. Priority booking of members It was opened on June 16 for visits from September 10 to December 31. There are now limited time slots left.
