The British Museum in London has opened its long-awaited exhibition of the Bayeux Tapestry, marking the first time the 11th-century masterpiece has returned to the United Kingdom since it was crafted there nearly 1,000 years ago.
Tickets for the first batch of bookable slots have already sold out. The next release, covering visits in 2027, is scheduled for October 21.
The tapestry usually hangs in Bayeux, Normandy, and depicts the events leading up to and including the Battle of Hastings in 1066, when William, Duke of Normandy, defeated King Harold II of England. It is thought to have been woven by Anglo-Saxon embroiderers around the 1070s.
For anyone who wants a Bayeux fix sooner than 2027, there is another option: visiting the places that inspired the tapestry. From Battle Abbey to the battlefield itself, the south coast of England around Hastings offers a string of sites linked to the events shown in the embroidery.
Hastings Castle
England's south coast, where the battle depicted in the tapestry took place, is home to Hastings Castle, the remains of William the Conqueror's first Norman castle in England.
The castle, in East Sussex, overlooks the town forever linked with 1066, with Eastbourne, St Leonards-on-Sea and Hastings Old Town all visible from the site. As well as views over the English Channel, the ancient monument hosts guided history tours blending fact and folklore, along with bird-watching and musical productions.
Battle Abbey and Battlefield
Visitors can stand where one of the most famous battles in English history unfolded at Battle Abbey, the site traditionally associated with the Battle of Hastings.
The abbey was founded by William the Conqueror soon after the conquest and is said to mark the exact spot where King Harold died, according to English Heritage. Interactive displays in the visitor centre explain how the conflict took place, and an audio tour lets visitors walk the actual battlefield before climbing to the gatehouse rooftop for panoramic views.
This year, the Battle of Hastings re-enactment returns to the site on October 10 and 11, 2026.
Pevensey Castle
Near where William is said to have landed with his army in September 1066 stands Pevensey Castle, an English Heritage property that was once the largest of the Roman "Saxon Shore" fortresses, with walls spanning more than 500 metres.
"After centuries of abandonment, the ancient stronghold was pressed back into service in 1940, with machine gun posts cleverly camouflaged into its walls," the castle's official website says.
Children visiting the site can take part in an attempt to crack the Pevensey Castle Code, explore a dungeon and look inside a medieval basement room.
East Sussex Coastline and Bexhill-on-Sea
Cooden Beach, on the Bexhill-on-Sea coastline in the heart of what is known as 1066 Country, sits within easy reach of the abbeys, castles and battlefields that shaped the Norman Conquest.
Chris Cooper, from the Relais Cooden Beach hotel in the area, said the arrival of the Bayeux Tapestry in the UK was "not just a major exhibition, it is a chance for people to reconnect with the places where one of the most significant chapters in English history unfolded."
"The rise in searches suggests visitors are already looking beyond the museum walls, with growing interest in the real 1066 landscapes of East Sussex, from Battle Abbey and Hastings to Pevensey and the surrounding coastline," Cooper said.
The 1066 Country Walk
Walkers can follow sections of the 31-mile 1066 Country Walk, which connects Pevensey, Battle and Rye, tracing the landscapes linked to the conquest.
The route is relatively easy and has recently been improved with new signage, information panels, benches and sculptures. Parts of the walk pass through the High Weald Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty, a medieval landscape of rolling hills and valleys, marshes and ancient woodland, dotted with picturesque towns, quaint villages, churches, and pubs and cafes along the way.
