The Fulford Tapestry

There are two years in history that changed the destiny of the western world.   One is 1944, when the the Allied Forces crossed the Channel to the coasts of Normandy and the other is 1066 when the Saxon armies fought the invasion by the Duke of Normandy at the Battle of Hastings. There were two other battles in England prior to this and both are commemorated with large embroideries But first, here is a brief account of why 1066 was such a pivotal year.

The Bayeux Tapestry, Scene 1: King Edward the Confessor and Earl Harold Godwinson

In January 1066, King Edward the Confessor died without a direct heir but leaving three contenders to the throne of Saxon England. The first was Earl Harold Godwinson, Edward’s brother in law, a competent statesman and army general who had been running the country for Edward for years. The second was King Hadradra of Norway. The third was Duke William of Normandy. As England was a prosperous farming country at the time, it was a desirable acquisition.

King Hadrada was a Viking and a fierce and experienced warrior. The Vikings had a long history of marauding, pillaging and plundering. In 1066 they were well equipped with about 7000 men and 300 longships. In mid September, they landed on the eastern shores of England near Scarborough, which they burned, and then moved on to the city of York. Earl Tostig, Harold Godwinson’s estranged brother, joined the Viking forces bringing more men. Tostig hoped to claim Northumbria as his own domain. Their combined forces were around 10,000 fighting men though the number varties depending on the source. The English army was about half the size.

What ensued on September 20 was the first battle of 1066, the Battle of Fulford Gate, which was won by the Vikings. It was a fierce encounter with heavy losses on both sides. Hadrada is the lone figure on the right hand side with his sword above his head. Their prize was the City of York which the Vikings agreed not to pillage or burn. The Saxons also agreed to join the Vikings on their trek south to London where King Hadrada planned to claim the throne of England.

In the panel below, King Hadrada, with blond hair and beard, followed by Tostig as shown entering the city of York.

The embroidery, like the Bayeaux Tapestry, is a continuous strip of fabric about 18 feet long. The upper and lower friezes contain scenes from everyday life. It was designed by Charles Jones and stitched by local embroiderers who dyed their wool threads using tradional methods. The continuous strip is divided into six sections for photography of which three are included here,

The Fulford Tapestry was completed about seven years ago. I have read as much as I can find about the Battle of Fulford Gate and have condensed it to a few sentences which may, or may not, give you an accurate picture. I apologize for errors. You can read more about this important day on the sites listed.

The final photo is of the ladies who stitched on the Fulford Tapestry.

http://www.britainexpress.com/History/battles/Fulford.htm

http://www.fulfordtapestry.info

The creation of the Fulford Tapestry – Images

Today is Remembrance Day when we thank the millions of men and women who served in all the forces. We thank those who gave their lives so that our civilization would continue in the free world. We give thanks as countries and communities; we also remember and give thanks as individuals.

The Overlord Embroidery

It was commemorated 40 years later in Portsmouth when Queen Elizabeth, the Queen Mother, opened the D-Day Museum. This building houses the Overlord Embroidery. Commisioned by Lord Dulverton, it was designed by Sandra Lawrence and stitched at the Royal School of Needlework. It consists of 34 panels each 8 feet wide by 3 feet high. The total length, 272 feet, is longer than the Bayeaux Tapestry by 41 feet. Here are a few of the panels of the Overlord Embroidery.

The Supreme Commander, General Eisenhower, discusses the Operation Overlord plan with seniorAllied commanders.

A vast armada of ships, planes and men crossed the English Channel to storm Fortress Europe. They were expected and encountered heavy resistance. Supplies had to be transported and the Mulberry Harbour was towed across the channel in sections and assembled on the French coast. There were multiple examples of ingenuity and selfless courage.

There were only a few days in each month with the right conditions of tide and moon for the invasion. Here troops of the British 3rd Division and the 27th Armoured Brigade await orders to sail.

The fleet moves slowly south towards the Normandy coast; some smaller craft sink in the rough water and others have to turn back. The armada includes some 4,200 landing ships and landing craft. R.A.F. Lancasters, which bombed the German coastal batteries, fly above the ships.

The embroidery technique used is a traditional method of applique which allows for detail, and the embroidery is intensely detailed. While a student at the Royal School of Needlework we were required to learn how to do this and I will tell you that it is both exacting and tedious. Whenever available the fabrics used were those used for the uniforms in the war. Notice the detail and expression in the faces. Sandra Lawrence used photos from the war and consulted with the original Chiefs of Staff on details for authenticity. As the panels were stitched in the ’70s, it was already more than 20 years since the end of the war.

An allied deception plan persuades the Germans that the invasion will be made at Pas de Calais. As the main fleet approaches Normandy the radar screens show the fake convoys proceeding up-Channel. Unsuspecting German troops man a bunker while a midget submarine surfaces to mark one of the invasion beaches by showing a green light to seaward.

King George V1 visits the invasion beaches with Winston Churchill, Field Marshal Brooke. Generals Eisenhower and Montgomery. They did not all visit on the same day as shown here. The Mulberry harbour is visible in the background.

The troops are moving out of Normandy on their way east. There remain eight months of bitter fighting before the conclusion of the war. A Frenchman, suspected of being a resistance fighter has been shot by the retreating Germans.

Currently the D-Day Museum in Portsmouth is being renovated, extended and a climate control system is being installed. The Overlord Embroidery will be available for viewing in mid 2018. At the moment, there is not a lot of information regarding the embroidery on line but this will change as the pieces are rehung in the new gallery. A new video is also being made of the embroidery which will include interviews with some of the stitchers. Our Guild has a copy of the original video. When I showed it last week in the residence where I live, there was a lot of interest. There are many veterans amongst us but I am not one of them. One lady, who was 18 years old when the war started and worked on Enigma, is trying to teach me how to salute correctly which is creating laughter all around.

The painted, full size plan designed by Sandra Lawrence is in the Pentagon hanging in the Ministry of Defence.

This video will give you more information on the creation of the Overlord Embroidery. You will likely locate others that I have not discovered.

Women in the D-Day Museum: The Overlord Embroidery – YouTube

 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4R7TEUt6YXc

www.sandralawrence.co.uk/Overlord Embroideries.htm

The Norman Invasion under William the Conqueror in 1066 has been the only other successful cross Channel invasion. There is more to this story than I ever learned in school or has been generally known until recent years. I will be writing about this in following blogs.

All have been commemorated with embroideries.