To celebrate The Bayeux Tapestry’s historic return to the UK in 2026 its first trip to British soil in 900 years - this stunning hardback edition of embroidery expert Jan Messent's tour de force aims to shed light on the Tapestry’s creation.
Journey through this colourful, hand-drawn account of the Anglo-Saxon artisans who created one of the world's most famous embroideries: the incomparable Bayeux Tapestry.
“Everybody has heard of the Bayeux Tapestry, but how was such a vast project actually tackled, who made it, what do all the pictures mean and what sort of stitches were used in its making? All these questions and more get answered in this beautiful and unusual book.” Myshelf.com
This fascinating historical guide, re-issued in a stunning collector's hardback format, examines the following questions:
- Who were the embroiderers of the Bayeux Tapestry?
- What were the embroiderers' tools, their materials, and how could such a massive project have been designed and organised?
- Under what working conditions was the Bayeux Tapestry constructed?
In this book Jan draws upon her own experience as an embroiderer and artist to piece together all the clues she can find in the tapestry itself. This unique guide gives a thoughtful and researched explanation of how the tapestry was stitched, placing its creation in a plausible context; it celebrates the craftsmanship of the incredible forgotten women who poured their creativity and skill into its creation.
This book is comprised of an introduction, seven beautifully hand-drawn and handwritten chapters, and a gorgeous landscape of the author's finished reconstruction. At the back of the book, you can find some recommended reading and all of the text transcribed into a printed typeface. For this special collector's edition, a new preface has been written by Jan, acknowledging the new discoveries that have been made since the book's initial publication 25 years ago.
About the author: Jan Messent is a renowned embroiderer, Art, History and English teacher. Jan has lectured about these subjects worldwide and taught embroidery to the members of the Embroiderer's Guild. In 1996 she was commissioned to create a reconstruction of the missing last eight feet of the Bayeux Tapestry, which led her to write this considered and carefully illustrated book. Her exploration of the history of the tapestry is written from a designer's and embroiderer's perspective, providing a unique insight into the practicalities of producing such a piece.
This book is a hardback reissue of The Bayeux Tapestry Embroiderers' Story (9781844485840) published in 2010.
Table of Contents
Preface
Introduction
Acknowledgements
Chapter One: The Characters
Chapter Two: The Designer
Chapter Three: The Embroiderers
Chapter Four: The Materials
Chapter Five: The Technique
Chapter Six: Problems
Chapter Seven: The Borders
The Finale: A Reconstruction
Book list and Suppliers
Printed Text
Show More +
About Jan Messent
Jan Messent qualified as a teacher in the mid-50s and, after teaching Art, History and English, became deeply involved with embroidery as an art form. As a member of the Embroiderers’ Guild, she taught embroidery design to its members, wrote and illustrated design books, and lectured worldwide.
In 1996, she was commissioned by Madeira Threads to reconstruct the last and missing eight feet of The Bayeux Tapestry, which can be seen in James Cook Memorial Hospital, Middlesbrough, UK. In the process of making this stunning panel, she wrote the tour de force The Bayeux Tapestry Embroiderers' Story an illustrated history on the embroiderers behind the masterpiece. This was first published in 1999 by Madeira Threads and later published in 2010 by Search Press.
Now, having retired from lecturing, Jan dedicates her time to a number of arts and crafts, including drawing, painting, embroidery, knitting and crochet. She's an avid lover of history and classical music, and Jan is the Hon. President of the Basingstoke Creative Stitchers.
