A Bit of History Before The Intriguing Facts

The Bayeux Tapestry is set to be returned to Britain for the first time in nearly 1,000 years, going on display at the British Museum from September 2026 to July 2027.

This landmark loan from France marks 960 years since the Battle of Hastings (1066–2026) and 1,000 years since the birth of William the Conqueror (c.1027–2027).

Already making headlines, its arrival is being met with real excitement, and offers a rare chance to see one of history’s most remarkable artefacts up close.

Stretching 70 metres, the 11th-century Bayeux Tapestry tells the story of the 1066 Norman Conquest, showing William of Normandy’s victory over Harold Godwinson, and blending vivid storytelling with a message about loyalty and broken promises.

We feel honoured and privileged that Benchwood House is located in Hastings, and is only under 9 miles away from Battle Abbey.

So we thought it would be interesting to share 10 intriguing facts about the Bayeux Tapestry, and the Battle of Hastings, fought on 14 October 1066, which saw William the Conqueror defeat King Harold II, and seize the English throne.

If you may want to see the Bayeux Tapestry, please sign up here for the British Museums’ newsletter,

to be notified when the first release tickets will go on sale on the 1 July, 2026.

We invite you to explore the stories below.

The Bayeux Tapestry is Not Tapestry

The Bayeux Tapestry, which chronicles the Norman Conquest of England in 1066, isn’t actually a tapestry but an embroidered cloth.

Tapestries are woven not embroidered.

The Bayeux Tapestry Was Commissioned By the Half-Brother of William the Conqueror

The Bayeux Tapestry was commissioned by Odo, the half-brother of William the Conqueror, the Bishop of Bayeux, for his cathedral in 1077. Odo was also the Earl of Kent.

It is believed to have been crafted originally in Kent (possibly by nuns at Barking Abbey).

No Arrow in the Eye?

The Bayeux Tapestry depicts William the Conqueror’s Anglo-Saxon adversary, Harold Godwinson, suffering an arrow to the eye.

Historians believe the famous "arrow in the eye" story is a myth; King Harold Godwinson was more likely cut down and hacked to death.

The Bayeux Tapestry is a "Medieval Comic Strip"

The Bayeux Tapestry tells a dramatic, visual story of the events leading up to the Battle of Hastings (1066), acting like a 70-meter-long, 11th-century graphic novel.

The Horses Have Personality

The horses are detailed in the scenes, with some appearing to "smile" or show distress during the crossing to England.

The Battle of Hastings Is Not Where the Battle Was

The Battle of Hastings was not actually fought in Hastings but took place 8 miles away at Senlac Hill, where Battle Abbey now stands.

Did King Harold II Arrive By Land or Sea?

Recent research carried out by Professor Tom Licence, an expert in medieval history and literature at the University of East Anglia, uncovered a crucial detail that 19th Century historians missed.

Licence re-examined the Anglo Saxon Chronicle, and he argues that Harold didn’t lead a desperate overland march from Yorkshire to Sussex.

Instead, much of the journey south may have been made by sea.

A Tattooed King

King Harold II is said to have had the words "Edith" and "England" tattooed on his chest.

Edith Swanneck (also known as Edith the Fair or Edgiva) was the wealthy common-law wife of King Harold Godwinson, having had at least five children with him.

Following Harold's death at the Battle of Hastings in 1066, she is said to have identified his mutilated body by his tattoos over his heart, which reportedly represented the two most crucial aspects of his life—his love and his country.

French Replaced as the Elite Language

Following the 1066 Norman Conquest, French (specifically Anglo-Norman) became the official language of England’s ruling class, law courts, and administration for nearly 300 years.

While commoners spoke Old English, the elite used French until 1362, when the Pleading in English Act made English the official language of law, heavily influencing English vocabulary.

A Minstrel Struck the First Blow of the Battle

Ivo Taillefer, William’s minstrel (a singer or musician) killed the first Saxon of the battle.

The Carmen de Hastingae Proelio ('Song of the Battle of Hastings’) says that a Saxon soldier broke ranks, and Taillefer killed him.

Later sources say that Taillefer charged into the enemy shield-wall, where he killed several Saxons before he was overwhelmed.