1066 but NOT the Battle of Hastings!

Everyone associates 1066 with the Battle of Hastings but few know about another important battle up in Yorkshire which may have affected the outcome of the Battle of Hastings!

The Battle of Stamford Bridge, 25th September 1066, when the Saxons defeated the Vikings, killing 20,000 Vikings and lost 15,000 of their own men. This meant that a month later when the Normans invaded, King Harold and his exhausted men were still in Yorkshire and this may well have had an impact on the outcome of the Battle of Hastings.

The story of this important battle is being made into a tapestry – The Stamford Bridge Tapestry. Like the famous Bayeux Tapestry, the Stamford Bridge version is also an embroidery using the same bayeux stitch throughout and also using similar colours.

It was wonderful to see the panels and samples up close.

To find out more about this project visit http://stamfordbridgetapestry.org.uk/