One of the great privileges of being Exeter’s MP is championing the people, organisations and institutions that make our city such a special place. This week, I’ve been making the case for Exeter’s Royal Albert Memorial Museum (RAMM) to play a role in celebrating the arrival of the Bayeux Tapestry in the UK for the first time in nearly 1,000 years.
The Bayeux Tapestry is one of the world’s most famous historical artefacts. It tells the story of the Norman Conquest of 1066, an event that transformed England and continues to shape our country today. Its arrival in Britain will be a landmark cultural moment, and the British Museum is keen to ensure that the exhibition reaches beyond London and becomes a truly national event.
I believe Exeter should be at the heart of that conversation.
I recently had the opportunity to discuss this with British Museum Director Nicholas Cullinan, alongside Helen Hartstein, Manager of RAMM, at an event in Parliament. Following that meeting, I wrote to the British Museum to make the case for Exeter to be included as a key partner in the wider programme surrounding the tapestry’s visit.
Exeter’s place in history
While many people associate the Norman Conquest solely with the Battle of Hastings, the impact of 1066 did not end there. Following Harold Godwinson’s defeat, Exeter became a significant centre of resistance to Norman rule. Harold’s mother, Gytha, sought refuge in the city, and the subsequent Siege of Exeter marked a pivotal moment in William the Conqueror’s consolidation of power.
The effects of those events can still be seen around us today. The Norman influence on our language, architecture, institutions and society remains deeply embedded in modern Britain. Here in Exeter, our Cathedral stands as a powerful reminder of that history. Construction began under a bishop appointed during the Norman period, and the Cathedral’s distinctive towers continue to tell the story of that era nearly a millennium later.
Exeter’s connection to this history makes it well-placed to help tell the wider story of the Bayeux Tapestry.
An exceptional regional museum
We also have a museum capable of delivering exhibitions and public programmes of national significance.
RAMM is one of the finest regional museums anywhere in the country and a jewel in Exeter’s cultural crown. It welcomed more than 190,000 visitors last year and continues to go from strength to strength. Recent exhibitions have attracted national attention, while its partnerships with major institutions demonstrate the museum’s growing reputation and expertise.
Whether through exhibitions such as Dartmoor: A Radical Landscape, collaborations with artists such as Grayson Perry, or working with organisations including the British Museum itself, RAMM has consistently shown that it can bring nationally important stories to local audiences.
That is why I have suggested exploring the possibility of a regional partnership or “South West spur” alongside the main exhibition in London. There is an exciting opportunity to showcase Saxon and Norman artefacts and connect local history to national events.
This is a major national moment, not just for historians, but for anyone interested in the events that shaped our country and our communities and I am grateful to the British Museum for being open to ideas about how people across the country can get involved.
