The women of the Bayeux Tapestry

Join historian and presenter Kate Lister, Project Curator Millie Horton-Insch and Professor of Medieval Studies Bob Mills for an engaging discussion on the women of the Bayeux Tapestry.
 
Only three women feature in the central frieze of the Bayeux Tapestry, and three more anonymous women feature in the decorative borders. Only one – the enigmatic Ælfgyva – is named in the inscription. Why is this? Though few in number, the appearances of these women mark significant moments in the story and raise intriguing questions about identity, power and status in 11th-century England.
 
These women may represent historically significant figures. One is commonly identified as Queen Edith, wife of Edward the Confessor, a sizeable landowner in her own right and likely one of the richest individuals in the land. The identity of Ælfgyva remains one of the Tapestry’s greatest mysteries. Historians have suggested she may be Emma ‘of Normandy’, mother of Edward ‘the Confessor’; Ælfgifu ‘of Northampton’, wife of King Cnut; or Ælfgifu ‘of York’, first wife of King Æthelred ‘Unræd’.
A third unnamed woman is depicted fleeing a burning building set alight by Norman soldiers while gripping the hand of a child. Her appearance marks a significant turning point in the narrative as the story moves towards the Battle of Hastings.
 
Learn about the possible identities of the women of the Bayeux Tapestry, explore their significance within the narrative, and consider why so few women appear in this extraordinary work.
 
Content notice: this discussion refers to sexual violence, violence and sexual themes.
 
This event is part of the public programme supporting The Bayeux Tapestry (10 September 2026 – 11 July 2027).