A London travel guide for visitors who missed out on tickets to the Bayeux Tapestry at the British Museum, with the best free history, Anglo-French connections and medieval London alternatives
Tapestry Mania
The biggest cultural event in London this autumn is the Bayeux Tapestry, on loan from France and on display at the British Museum. It arrived in Britain earlier this year and opened in September to enormous demand, with reports describing Bayeux Tapestry mania sweeping the UK as the sold-out exhibition opened. The London Prat, naturally, has covered the craze in its piece on Bayeux Tapestry fever.
If you managed to get tickets, congratulations. You will see one of the most famous works of art in the world, a nearly seventy-metre-long embroidery telling the story of the Norman Conquest of England in 1066. If you did not, do not despair. Keep checking the British Museum’s website for returns or newly released tickets, and in the meantime London offers plenty of ways to explore the same history.
The British Museum Itself
Even without a tapestry ticket, the British Museum is free to enter and full of treasures. Its permanent collection includes the Sutton Hoo ship burial, an extraordinary Anglo-Saxon treasure, and the Lewis Chessmen, medieval chess pieces carved from walrus ivory. Both connect beautifully to the world of the tapestry. Allow at least half a day, and arrive early or late to avoid the busiest hours.
Norman London
William the Conqueror, whose victory the tapestry celebrates, left his mark on London. The most obvious example is the Tower of London, whose central White Tower was begun under William in the decades after 1066 to impress and intimidate the city. It is a paid attraction, run by Historic Royal Palaces, and is one of the best historic sites in Britain, with the Crown Jewels, the Yeoman Warders and the famous ravens. Westminster Abbey, where William was crowned on Christmas Day 1066, is another essential stop, and coronations have taken place there ever since.
Medieval Streets
For a free alternative, walk through the City of London, where the medieval street pattern still survives beneath the skyscrapers. Look for church spires designed by Christopher Wren after the Great Fire of 1666, alleys with names like Bread Street and Milk Street that reflect the old markets, and fragments of the Roman and medieval city wall, visible at sites such as Tower Hill and near the Barbican. The Museum of London is relocating to a new home at West Smithfield, so check its current status before planning a visit.
A French Connection
The tapestry is a reminder of how closely British and French history are entwined. Readers enjoying the London Prat’s teasing of French public finances, in its piece on France’s cobblestone economy and the school money permanently in transit, may also enjoy London’s French side. South Kensington has long been home to a large French community, with French bookshops, bakeries and the Institut Francais, which runs films, talks and a library. Soho was once home to many Huguenot refugees, and Spitalfields in East London still has streets of elegant eighteenth-century houses built for Huguenot silk weavers. A walk around Fournier Street and Princelet Street is a lovely, free way to explore that history.
Southwark And The Medieval South Bank
Across the river, Southwark has its own medieval layers. Southwark Cathedral, near London Bridge, is one of the oldest Gothic churches in London and is free to visit, with donations welcome. Nearby, the ruins of Winchester Palace, once the London home of the powerful Bishops of Winchester, include a striking rose window still standing on Clink Street. Combine them with Borough Market for lunch.
The National Gallery
For art lovers, the National Gallery on Trafalgar Square is free and holds one of the world’s great collections of European painting, including many works from France and the medieval and Renaissance periods. It is an excellent rainy-day alternative to the tapestry, and its location makes it easy to combine with a walk down Whitehall to Westminster Abbey.
Tips For Sold-Out Shows
Big exhibitions in London often sell out, but tickets sometimes reappear. Check the museum’s official website regularly, especially early in the morning, when returns may be released. Consider membership, which some museums offer with priority booking and free entry to exhibitions, if you are a frequent visitor. Avoid unofficial resellers, which may sell invalid or overpriced tickets. And be flexible: weekday and late-evening slots are often easier to get than weekend ones.
Learning Before You Go
If you have tickets, it is worth reading a little about 1066 beforehand. The story is dramatic: King Edward the Confessor dies without a clear heir; Harold Godwinson is crowned; William of Normandy claims the throne was promised to him; a comet appears in the sky; William invades; Harold is killed at the Battle of Hastings. The tapestry shows all of it, including the famous scene of Harold apparently struck in the eye by an arrow. Knowing the story makes the embroidery far more vivid. You can find more of my London travel advice on my author page.
A Final Suggestion
If you cannot get into the tapestry, try this: visit the Tower of London in the morning, walk along the river to Westminster Abbey in the afternoon, and finish at the British Museum’s free galleries before closing. In a single day, you will have seen the fortress William built, the church where he was crowned and treasures from the world his invasion changed. It is not the tapestry. But it is the story the tapestry tells, and you will have walked through it rather than queued for it.
