Bayeux I - Harold in Normandy

The Bayeux Tapestry
Part I: Harold in Normandy
Monday 5 October at 6pm

The much-hyped arrival of the Bayeux 'Tapestry' is getting closer every day, and let's face it, I'm one of the people who has been doing the hyping! I've wanted to see it for years, so I don't know why I've never been to Normandy: it's not that far. However, coming to the British Museum it is, and see it I will. And then, I'd like to tell you my take on it, which is gradually being honed by several visits to the wonderful Victorian copy in Reading and reading as many books as I can get my hands on. 

Apparently, in the exhibition, we won't get a huge amount of time to look at the tapestry in detail, so that is precisely what I want to do online. In this, the first week, we will look at the first 'half' of the tapestry - covering Harold's expedition to Normandy. The second talk will be dedicated to William's journey to England, and to the Battle of Hastings which ensued. As we move through the 68m of fantastic storytelling, we will discuss the characters as we meet them, think about their place in history, and especially, the attitude that the 'tapestry' has towards them. We will also look carefully at marginal details, thinking about how the story is told, how the 'tapestry' was made (as I'm sure you know, it's not a tapestry), and who the makers were - including whether or not they had an opinion about what they had been asked to do! 

My aim is to provide the perfect introduction to a visit to see the real thing: you'll know what you're looking at in advance, so will be able to concentrate on the looking! 

Please remember, I do not record my talks.