The Mirror
·Jul 2025
Bayeux Tapestry's hidden secrets as it arrives at British Museum and how to get tickets
The Bayeux Tapestry has arrived at the British Museum ahead of its public display, marking its first return to Britain in centuries. Experts describe the 11th‑century embroidery as a vivid account of the events leading to the Norman Conquest and suggest it may have been created in England as propaganda to unite Normans and the defeated English. Historian Dr Dave Musgrove explains theories about its origins, symbolism, and depictions of Harold Godwinson, William the Conqueror, and Halley’s Comet, while noting its humorous and explicit imagery. The tapestry’s possible commissioning by Bishop Odo and its craftsmanship by English needleworkers are also explored, along with details of Victorian censorship in later replicas.