The Hastings Embroidery, a remarkable piece of British history, has returned to public view and has been on display at Hastings Town Hall since 29 August 2026, seven years after Rye provided a temporary home for this unique work. Its return is particularly timely because the original Bayeux Tapestry, whose extraordinary visual storytelling helped inspire the Hastings Embroidery, is on display at the British Museum now until July 2027.
The Hastings Embroidery was created in 1965–66 to commemorate the 900th anniversary of the Battle of Hastings. It was conceived by Group Captain Ralph Bagshaw Ward and made by embroiderers at the Royal School of Needlework and it was intended as a modern counterpart to the famous Bayeux Tapestry.
It concentrates not just on the events of 1066 but takes the story from there to the 20th century across 27 large panels, it depicts 81 significant events and developments in British history spanning 900 years, from 1066 to 1966. The panels, each nine feet by three feet, use appliqué and embroidery to bring everything from the Norman period to the 20th century vividly to life.
The subjects include the coronation of William I, Magna Carta, Robin Hood, Caxton and his printing press, Elizabeth I and Francis Drake, the Industrial Revolution, the First World War and the first direct transatlantic flight. The embroidery was originally one of the centrepieces of Hastings’ celebrations in 1966 and was displayed in the Triodome on Hastings Pier, where it attracted more than 750,000 visitors in its first year. It subsequently toured Canada and the United States before returning home.
Finding a permanent home for such an enormous and delicate work, however, proved difficult. For many years most of the embroidery remained in specialist storage, with only two panels displayed at Hastings Town Hall.
Then Rye came to its rescue. In 2018, Hastings Borough Council offered the embroidery on long-term loan to anyone able to provide suitable exhibition space, environmental controls and insurance.
Sarah Kowitz, co-founder with her husband David of the then new Bridgepoint Creative Arts centre at Rock Channel in Rye, went to see the embroidery in storage and was captivated by what she found. Bridgepoint was founded with the idea of creating a multidisciplinary place where artists, musicians, dancers and performers could develop and show new work. Initially, much of what happened there was on a pop-up basis while ambitious plans for the whole riverside site were developed. However, sadly this did not bear fruition.
The huge former warehouse at Bridgepoint offered something that was particularly difficult to find, sufficient space to display all 27 panels together.
In May 2019 the complete Hastings Embroidery emerged from storage and went on public display in Rye at Bridgepoint. It was far more than simply an exhibition. Artistic director Tim Hopkins created an immersive installation around the panels, while composer Robert Thomas created a specially commissioned work, Stitched, performed at the launch by members of the London Contemporary Orchestra.
Bringing the embroidery to Rye was no small undertaking. Contemporary reports put the cost of the exhibition at around £100,000, with climate control essential for protecting the historic textiles being the greatest expense.
The exhibition also became an important educational project. Rye Castle Museum volunteers worked with Bridgepoint and local schools, helping more than 400 children from Rye, Winchelsea, Beckley and elsewhere to see the embroidery and discover the history contained within its panels.
For six weekends between May and October 2019, Rye became the custodian of one of Hastings’ great treasures. After the exhibition closed, the embroidery once again disappeared from general public view.
Now, seven years later, it has come home.
From Saturday, August 29 to Sunday 1 November, the Hastings Embroidery will once again be displayed at Hastings Town Hall. The free exhibition will run from Thursdays to Mondays and forms part of Hastings’ Year of the Normans celebrations. Tickets can be booked here.
Image Credits: Kt bruce , Bridgepoint .