History buffs create 'Bayeux Tapestry' of village

1 hour ago

Mariam IssimdarNorfolk

News image — The cloth, which is not woven like a tapestry, lists milestones in Hockham's history

Chris Garrod Details about life in Hockham includes little drawings and text with explanations. It begins in 1066 and shows horses with a person carrying a flag to mark William the Conqueror's ascension to the throne of England. Little Hockham with a population of nine is mentioned, as is Hockham Magna with a population of 30. Churches, hangings, the first vicar of Hockham, a derelict windmill are all mentioned alongside the imagery. — The cloth, which is not woven like a tapestry, lists milestones in Hockham's history

A village is hoping to interest more people in local history with the creation of its own "Bayeux Tapestry".

Inspired by the 70-metre long artwork which is currently on loan to the British Museum, history buffs in Hockham, Norfolk, commissioned their own printed cloth version which starts with the 1066 Norman Conquest and the mention of their village in the Domesday Book of 1086.

The 5m (16ft)-long cloth details other significant events such as the granting of its market charter and soldiers returning from World War One.

"They really show what life's been like over the past few hundred years," said Chris Garrod, of the Hockham History group.

"Some of the dates are from records from the local record office - when the first Zeppelin [airship] was seen over the village, that sort of thing."

Chris Garrod A five-metre long printed cloth on display in front of the altar of a church, which has whitewashed walls. The cloth is a couple of feet in height and is mounted on posts. — The printed cloth is on display in front of the altar at Holy Trinity Church

Members of the society sourced local books and photos of events, buildings and people to depict on the tapestry, including the former reading rooms which once stood on the village green before being demolished in the 1960s.

The village church and the Edinburgh village hall are also pictured.

"I think anybody who's seen it for the first time has just been stunned by the quality of it. It's fantastic, really colourful, beautiful," said Garrod.

"We've nicknamed it the Hockham Tapestry, even though it's not a tapestry. It's a bit of poetic licence."

Chris Garrod Chris Garrod sits in Holy Trinity Church in Great Hockham. Behind him is a lead-framed window, flowers in vases, candles on a windowsill and a wooden cross on an altar table. In the corner is an easel with a religious reading propped up on it. — Chris Garrod and other members of Hockham History came up with the tapestry idea

The images were all created by artist Emily Brownlow, using computer design software.

Brownlow, who has lived in the village "on and off" since the age of two is also a "very enthusiastic" member of the local history club.

She said: "I just hope everybody gets to come in and learn something, even the people that are really deep into the history of the place and find a couple of bits on there that they didn't know."

The group took only two weeks to decide on the content and the imagery for the "tapestry" before it went to the printers, who charged them £100 for the work.

The "tapestry" has been installed in Holy Trinity Church and is on display on Saturday and Sunday for the history weekend. What happens to it after that is yet to be decided.

An exhibition about the Bayeux Tapestry (but not featuring the actual woven artwork itself) is touring Britain, and visits Norwich Castle Museum & Art Gallery, 12 November-10 January.