Children to 'fill in' missing part of Bayeux Tapestry
- Published
Primary school children from across the UK have been invited to design a missing section of the Bayeux Tapestry.
The children, aged 7 to 11, will take part in a competition to imagine the part of the almost 1,000-year-old embroidered cloth which is incomplete.
The famous artwork tells the story of the events around the Norman invasion of Britain including the famous Battle of Hastings in 1066.
The artwork returned to the UK for the first time in 900 years in July and goes on display at the British Museum in September.
Bayeux Tapestry arrives in UK under cover of night
- Published10 July
What is the Bayeux Tapestry? Five facts about the famous artwork
- Published10 July
What's your favourite museum or attraction?
- Published20 March
How can children get involved?
Some pupils will be able to imagine, create and stitch a new panel
Beyond the Battle is a competition, created by arts foundation Art Explora and charity English Heritage.
It tasks pupils from ages 7 to 11 to design, as a class, the missing panel of the Bayeux Tapestry.
They would need to create and stitch a textile work on something other than war with the new artwork supposed to illustrate "a better tomorrow".
Winning classes will get a trip to London to see the Bayeux Tapestry at the British Museum and the opportunity to visit the site of the 1066 Battle of Hastings, or another Norman site managed by English Heritage.
What is the Bayeux Tapestry?
The Bayeux Tapestry depicts one of the most important moments of British history
The Bayeux Tapestry is one of the world's most famous medieval artworks.
The nearly 70-metre-long piece of embroidered cloth tells the story of the events up to and including the Norman invasion of Britain and the Battle of Hastings.
It is shows events from 1064 - 1066, but ends abruptly where a part is missing.
The Battle of Hastings in 1066 ended with William The Conqueror taking the English throne from Harold Godwinson, becoming the first Norman king of England.
It was an event which changed the history of England forever.
Why is the Bayeux Tapestry in the UK?
The Bayeux Tapestry is usually on display at the Bayeux Museum but the museum is being renovated
The tapestry, is thought to have been made in Kent in the 11th century, not long after the end of the Battle.
It is believed that Bishop Odo of Bayeux, the half-brother of William the Conqueror requested it to be made, then delivered to France.
The tapestry is usually displayed at the Bayeux Museum in the northern French region of Normandy.
The museum has loaned the artwork to the British Museum in London, while it undergoes renovations.
Its return to England, more than 900 years after its creation, was carefully planned with a specially designed crate to protect the fragile artefact and a police escort.