What is the Bayeux Tapestry? Five facts about the famous artwork

A famous piece of history has arrived in the UK for the first time in nearly 1,000 years.

The Bayeux Tapestry will go on display in London later this year, giving people the opportunity to see the huge embroidered masterpiece up close.

But what exactly is the Bayeux Tapestry, and why is it so important?

From kings and battles, to hidden details in its design, here are five things you might not know about one of the world's most famous artworks.

The Bayeux Tapestry is a nearly 70-metre-long embroidery which tells the story of the events leading up to the Norman invasion of Britain, which led to the famous Battle of Hastings in 1066.

The well-known battle saw William The Conqueror take the English throne from Harold Godwinson, becoming the first Norman king of England.

It's a moment in time which changed the history of England forever.

The tapestry is one of the most famous artworks from the Middle Ages and helps give historians rare clues about what life was like nearly 1,000 years ago.

Did you know? The Bayeux Tapestry features 623 men, 3 women, 190 horses, 37 ships, 35 dogs, 506 birds and animals, 33 buildings and 37 trees or groups of trees.

Nobody knows exactly who was behind the Bayeux Tapestry, but many historians think William's half-brother, Bishop Odo of Bayeux, may have been involved.

This is because he appears several times in the artwork and was an important figure after the Norman invasion.

Experts are also unsure exactly who stitched the Bayeux Tapestry, but it was likely made by a group of skilled artists and embroiderers rather than one person.

According to the British Museum, it's widely thought that English women could have been involved, as their needlework skills were admired across Europe at that time.

Some historians think it was likely created by nuns from Barking Abbey, one of the wealthiest and most important nunneries in medieval England.

The exact place where the Bayeux Tapestry was created is still debated by experts.

Over the years, historians have suggested many places for its production - both in England and in France.

However, most now believe the tapestry was made in England, either in or around Canterbury in Kent.

One reason for this is that some of its designs are very similar to illustrations found in books that were made and kept in libraries in Canterbury at that time.

The Bayeux Tapestry is thought to be nearly 1,000 years old.

It tells the story of the events leading up to the Battle of Hastings, which took place in 1066.

Experts believe the tapestry was made not long afterwards, in the 11th century, making it one of the oldest surviving embroidered artworks in the world.

The Bayeux Museum in the northern French region of Normandy is the home of the Tapestry.

The artwork is usually displayed there, however the museum is undergoing renovations at the moment.

This is why it is being loaned to the British Museum in London.

The tapestry will go on display in the UK from 10 September 2026 until 11 July 2027, before it makes its journey back to France.