The Bayeux Tapestry - Seven Ages of Britain - BBC One

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This is the Bayeux Tapestry.

It was commissioned to celebrate
William's conquest of England.

And it begins with the
events that led up to it.

The death of Edward the Confessor,
King of England.

And the succession of a new king, Harold.

It's magical to be taken back a
1,000 years in this dark chamber

to see history spelt out for you.

70 meters long right down to the end,
right round to the back.

And the story very vividly told.

But at the same time,
along the freezes,

top and bottom,
wonderfully vivid pictures.

Some of them of Aesop's Fables,

some of little stories,

some little nobody knows what they are.

Little details of farming life here.

Plowing, sowing,
and a man killing birds with a sling.

It's not strictly speaking a tapestry,

it's actually needle work,
sown with wool onto linen.

I suppose the story that we know
best begins with the death of

Edward the Confessor and his
burial in Westminster Abbey.

Westminster Abbey here with
the hand of God, blessing it.

And here, Harold receiving the crown,

with his orb and his scepter,
people looking on.

And then spies come across and
explain to William and Normandy

what's happened in England that
Harold has seized the crown.

And here he orders ships
to be built for an invasion.

So the first thing to cut down the trees,
and start building the ships.

Putting aboard suits of chainmail,
needing two men to carry them.

And spears, arrows, and the last stages to
get the horses on board these long ships.

Very tricky.

And they didn't look particularly happy.

The boats set sail.

They cross over to Pevensey.

Land safely at Pevensey, go ashore.
And then the real task begins.

But first, the army has to be fed.

There's a terrine there being boiled;

there's sort of chicken kabobs,
they look like.

And here, William feasting with his men.

And then they're preparing for war.

They build a castle of wood at Hastings.

William's followers set light to
some of the Anglo-Saxon houses.

A woman leading her child
away from her burning house.

And then battle commences.

Quite slowly to start with, with the
Calvary charging against Harold's forces.

Heads chopped off.

Hands chopped off.

And the battle rages all day long.

In the confusion of the battle,
as swords and axes clang against shields,

a dangerous rumor sweeps
William's army that he has been killed.

So what does he do?

He turns around in his saddle,
lifts his helmet off,

and shows himself to his troops.

And the battle goes on.

And then we come to the famous design
of Harold with the arrow in his eye.

Nobody quite knows whether
that is what happened.

And here, slaughtered.

I've seen this many times.

Every time I see it,
I have to say it just brings the

whole story of William's
invasion of England alive.

You really feel here because
this was done by people living

only a few years after the event.

You really feel the power and
the passion that went into it.

It's a completely magical work of art.

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