The Fulford Gate Tapestry

King Hadrada (Harald) 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, (King) 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 varies depending on the source. The Saxon army was about half the size.

The weather that summer was hot and dry and lasted through September and into October.   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. There was a marsh on one side of the battle field and a river with an embankment on the other. A lot of men were lost in the marsh. King Hadrada is the lone figure on the right side (below) with his sword above his head. Their prize was the City of York which the Vikings agreed not to pillage or burn. The local 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, is shown entering the city of York.  Note the shape of Tostig’s head and his features.  He is obviously the brother of King Harold.

The names of the protagonists is confusing.  King Harald was the Viking leader whereas King Harold was the Saxon leader.

The embroidery, like the Bayeux Tapestry, is a continuous strip of linen fabric about 18 feet long. The upper and lower friezes contain scenes from everyday life and battle casualties. It was designed by Charles Jones. Embroiderers from the area of Fulford Gates and York dyed their wool threads using traditional 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 but I do not know where it is stored or is on display. 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.

The final photo is of the ladies who stitched on the Fulford Gate Tapestry. This is the first of the contemporary embroideries that add to our understanding of the eventful year of 1066 and fleshes out the story told in the Bayeux Tapestry.

Congratulations ladies.  It is a job well done.  I would love to meet you  but age and an ocean are in the way.

For more information on the battle and the tapestry, connect with these links.

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

http://www.fulfordtapestry.info

Hippystitch: The Fulford Tapestry

The creation of the Fulford Tapestry – Images

1066. During the Spring and Summer Duke William of Normandy prepares his Armada.

Duke William of Normandy has been betrayed by Harold and considers himself to be the rightful King of England. He prepares an armada of ships to carry the men, horses and the armaments he will need to defeat King Harold.

Trees were felled and boats built.

Armour and spears were made. Provisions were collected and loaded on to the boats.

Horses were acquired and loaded onto boats.

The wind and tides were against the armada sailing for England. William and his army waited in France while Harold and his army waited for them in southern England. The English army became bored and restless and some went home for the harvest. The wind and tides, however, had been helpful to the Vikings who attacked in north east England leading to the battles of Fulford Gate and Stamford Bridge.

The tapestry is really an embroidery. It is stitched on linen fabric using seven dominantly coloured wool threads. The stitches used are stem stitch, Bayeux stitch, (which is a form of laid work), and satin stitch. Notice the style of the design. The artist was gifted at showing detail and realism and in connecting the various scenes into a continuous flow. There is also a lot of energy and action in each scene which does not get lost during the process of stitching.

It is 230 (or 270) feet long and 20 inches wide,  The borders, top and bottom, are each 3 inches wide.  They show birds, animals and incidents from Aesop’s fables.  In the battle scenes, they show archers in action, fallen soldiers and horses. There are 8 lengths of fabric stitched together to achieve the total length of 230/270 feet. There are 50/74 different scenes depicted.  You will observe that the information is variable according to source. It is all of interest to historians who see it as a revealing glimpse of life in the era before the Middle Ages.

Yes, it is all very interesting but you have to know what you are looking at to appreciate the details.

Kits are available from various resources if you would like to create a replica of a section of the Bayeux Tapestry.

Tomorrow: September 20, 1066. The Battle of Fulford Gate.

Embroideries that Record History

Interest and research has resulted in this series of blogs that features the Bayeux Tapestry and other embroideries that record the events of 1066 up until the Magna Carta. All have shaped the development of the western world and democracy. By influencing the western world, these events have affected the development of the whole world. The Overlord Embroidery, which records the D Day landings in 1944 is not included in this series but is featured in an earlier blog on this site. All these embroideries are unique. Only the Bayeux Tapestry is old whereas the others are contemporary. Here is your chance to be an armchair traveler and visit them all and to read the story that they portray.

Commemorative Tapestries/large Embroideries

1066 was a difficult year for Saxon England. King Edward the Confessor died in January without a direct heir creating opportunities for contestants to the crown. Earl Harold Godwinson (of Saxon aristocracy) promptly had himself crowned king which started a cascade of events. In mid-September, King Hadrada of Norway and a huge army of Vikings invaded northeast England resulting in the Battle of Fulford Gate which they won. The next and more decisive battle a few days later was the Battle of Stamford Bridge which was won by the Saxon army. Previous blogs have focused on these two battles. They have been edited and placed in context in this series.

The Prequel to the Battle of Hastings

Along with 1944, 1066 was a year that changed the destiny of the western world. We all know the outcome of the Battle of Hastings. The first half of the Bayeux Tapestry tells us what was happening before the battle. It must have been important to have been recorded in such detail.

In the later years of his reign, King Edward the Confessor sent Earl Harold Godwinson on a visit to France probably to discuss the succession to the English throne with Duke William of Normandy.

Harold went to his country residence first and had a feast. From there he boarded the ship that would take him to France. Notice that he had to wade to get on board. He took his hawk and a hound with him as it was intended to be a friendly visit.

He was shipwrecked on the shores of northeast France and captured by Count Guy of Ponthieu.

Duke William hears about this and pays a ransom to have Harold released. Both Guy and Harold travel to William’s castle in Rouen (northwestern France) where they are received formally. After various travels and adventures around northern France and Normandy they all arrive in Bayeaux. Harold was very strong and at a beach, he pulled someone out of quicksand.(Nasty, dangerous stuff is quicksand).  This is one of the adventures recounted.

Duke William insists that Harold become his vassal. Harold swears his allegiance on the Holy Relics.

The two chests of relics are openly displayed and all appears to be peaceful.

Harold then returns to England where King Edward the Confessor is sick. He dies on January 6, 1066 and is buried in the newly built Westminster Abbey. This portion of the tapestry shows him being carried to Westminster Abbey which was consecrated a week before he died.

Note the ‘Hand of God’ coming down form heaven to consecrate the Abbey.

This is the tomb and shrine of Saint Edward the Confessor, the only king in English history to become a Saint.

Harold is crowned King of England.

About Eastertime of that year, Halley’s comet appears, terrifies the western world and is seen as an omen. Did you see Haley’s comet in 1995 or 96?

Duke William of Normandy was a more rightful contender to the throne of a prosperous and agricultural Saxon England. He was not amused that Harold had had himself crowned King at the first opportunity. Duke William spent all summer making extensive preparations for an invasion army of men, horses, ships, weapons and armour. The wind and tides were against him sailing. These same weather conditions favoured the Viking invasion on the north east coat of England.

All these pictures (except for the Shrine of Edward the Confessor), are taken from the Bayeux Tapestry.

Tomorrow: Duke William prepares his invasion fleet.

Please feel free to share this with friends and others who would be interested.