Alderney adds to Bayeux ... but still too short!

Alderney has the last word perhaps?

Alderney Library has planned to add its own conclusion to the Bayeux Tapestry. Why not?

Legend has it that the final segment was lost and library staff resolved to stitch it up. Librarian Kate Russell said she wanted to involve as many people as possible in the project.

"I was hoping volunteers were on hand, and they were. Absolutely anyone could come anytime to help."

"When the tapestry was found in Bayeux Cathedral in 1427 there was already a frayed end with an obviously missing conclusion. As fortune would have it, someone had created a potential candidate for what that conclusion could have been - Jan Messent. She gave us permission to borrow from her finale and some of the images we will be stitching have been created by her."

Jan Messent, author and former embroidery lecturer, produced an 8ft (2.4m) final section after researching the methods used in constructing the Bayeux Tapestry. The rest of the design has been put together by Alderney artist Pauline Black [pictured below with Kate Russell].

Kate Russell said: "It will be about 10ft (3m) long - most of the experts say that the missing piece would have been about that long - and would have ended with William's coronation.



"We've tacked on a little bit extra to show the construction of the Tower of London, which had already begun at the time of his coronation."

There a BBC tv link that gives further details as the project nears completion: HERE

.... still a wee bit shorter than the Prestonpans Tapestry at 104 metres + 1 metre title panel ....

..... and just maybe this is an appropriate moment to mention a pipe dream around the Pans these days to stitch the Prestonpans tale all the way to Swarkestone Bridge in Derbyshire on the Trent.... of which maybe more later ....