BEYOND THE THREADS: 1066 MEETS CONTEMPORARY ART AT THE GUILDHALL

1066: THE TAPESTRY OF A CONQUEST (PART 4)

From the ancient walls of All Hallows and the sunlit slopes of Hastings to the magnificent displays at the British Museum, my journey through 1066 felt complete. But then I realised there was one last, wonderful stop right in the heart of the City of London—an exhibition connecting nearly a thousand years of craft: "Beyond Bayeux: Tapestry Now" at the Guildhall Art Gallery.

If history gave us the story of the Norman Conquest, stepping into this gallery proved something wonderful to me: the art of weaving thread, wool, and colour is just as alive, creative, and exciting today as it was in the 11th century!

The facade of Guildhall Art Gallery welcoming visitors to Beyond Bayeux: Tapestry Now (Another Norman helmet?). (Photo: Author's own)

What’s in a Name?

It's worth pausing over an interesting detail about the masterpiece that started it all. The Bayeux Tapestry actually has "tapestry" only in its name!

In 1729, French scholar Bernard de Montfaucon published engravings of the piece and called it a tapisserie—a general French word for a wall hanging—and the label stuck in English as "tapestry".

Technically, a true tapestry is woven directly on a loom with the design built directly into the fabric as it is made. The Bayeux piece, on the other hand, is crewel embroidery—woollen yarn stitched onto woven linen fabric.

Connecting Past and Present

Walking into the gallery spaces, I could feel the link to our journey straight away. As interest in the Bayeux Tapestry brings historic storytelling back to life across the UK, Beyond Bayeux celebrates tapestry as a craft that goes back over 3,000 years, with its oldest surviving fragments traced to ancient Egyptian tombs.

Created together with Dovecot Studios in Edinburgh—who have been collaborating with generations of artists since 1912—this exhibition shows how tapestry continues to evolve into a vibrant, living art form today.

Standing in front of the modern works after following medieval threads felt like listening to artists chatting across a thousand years. It made me smile to see how people today are keeping these ancient traditions alive!

Up close with modern tapestry: Hurvin Anderson and Dovecot Studios' The Lincoln College Tapestry. (Photo: Author's own | Display at Beyond Bayeux: Tapestry Now, Guildhall Art Gallery)

Master Weavers and Modern Visions

What made this visit so exciting was seeing how Dovecot Studios’ master weavers bring bold modern visions to life in direct collaboration with the artists. You get to stand face-to-face with incredible craftsmanship—like the clever tapestry adaptation of David Hockney’s 1963 painting A Play within a Play, where the weavers help play a brilliant trick on his original artwork. Nearby, they've woven Yinka Shonibare’s rich family ancestry directly into the fabric and brought out Alberta Whittle’s surprising contrast of bright pinks against the memory of deadly disease. Whittle’s piece was my absolute favourite, but I won’t spoil it here—you’ll have to visit the gallery to see how unusual it is for yourself!

The size and detail of these works blew me away. Looking closely at the rich colours, soft textures, and hours of handiwork, I felt so much admiration for the weavers. Their patience and passion feel exactly like the dedication that went into creating the original 11th-century masterpiece!

A detailed look at the hanging threads and rich weaving in Yinka Shonibare and Dovecot Studios' Modern Spiritual II. (Photo: Author's own | Displayed at Beyond Bayeux: Tapestry Now, Guildhall Art Gallery)

Threads of Memory: Reflections from an Artisan Studio

Looking at those looms and tapestries brought back fond memories of my very brief time in an artistic weaving studio far beyond London - back home in Poland, when I was a teenager.

I can still picture the colourful wool yarns scattered around the studio, looms standing tall, and tapestries lining the walls and resting on the floor. It was a very vibrant, yet quiet and intimate atmosphere—a quiet space where time seemed to slow down as hand, thread, and loom worked together. Seeing those looms again at Guildhall filled me with wonderful nostalgia.

Dovecot Studios' working tapestry loom. (Photo: Author's own | Displayed at Beyond Bayeux: Tapestry Now, Guildhall Art Gallery)

Tying Up the Threads

Seeing how modern creators stretch the boundaries of textile art was such an inspiring way to finish this series. From ancient Roman tiles and Saxon convents to bright battlefield hills, quiet gallery rooms, and memories of my teenage years in Poland, the thread of 1066 ties together personal roots and ancient history in ways far deeper than I ever imagined.

Plan Your Visit: Beyond Bayeux: Tapestry Now Exhibition

• Location: Guildhall Art Gallery, Guildhall Yard, City of London, EC2V 5AE (nearest Underground stations are Bank, St. Paul’s, Mansion House, and Moorgate).

• Dates & Opening Hours: Open daily from 10:00 AM – 5:00 PM. Running from October 23, 2026 – March 21, 2027.

• Admission: Pay What You Can (You can choose how much to pay or visit for free; donations directly support the gallery's conservation and education work).

• What to see: Don't miss Pre-Raphaelite masterpieces like Dante Gabriel Rossetti’s iconic La Ghirlandata, and step down into the basement to explore the remains of 2,000-year-old London’s Roman Amphitheatre!

Question for you: Have you ever seen an artwork or craft that made you feel connected to history in a personal way?