Reader urges council to find a permanent home for Hastings Embroidery, which was opened by the Queen in 1966

From: Richard Stevens, All Saints Street, Hastings
The Tapestry Project featuring The Hasting Embroidery at Bridge Point, Rye. SUS-190206-100329001The Tapestry Project featuring The Hasting Embroidery at Bridge Point, Rye. SUS-190206-100329001
The Tapestry Project featuring The Hasting Embroidery at Bridge Point, Rye. SUS-190206-100329001

I am very pleased to note that the various branches of the media have now recognised that Hastings answer to the Bayeux Tapestry is in fact an EMBROIDERY.

A fine example of needlework and a very different skill from that of a tapestry.

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Her Majesty The Queen opened the Hastings Embroidery in 1966, as your paper records, in recognition of the 900th anniversary of the Battle of Hastings.

During the same Royal Visit, the Duke of Edinburgh was presented with a gold winkle by our late president, John Burton MBE.

The embroidery was then displayed on Hastings Pier and within the Sussex Rooms at the White Rock Pavilion before being transferred to the ground floor of the Town Hall.

Then it was decided that a Tourist Information Centre should occupy the area where the Hastings Embroidery was on permanent display.

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Eventually the ‘stunning’ panels were put into storage and their air conditioned cases destroyed. Tragic!

In 2000, when I was leader of the council, we more or less had everything in place for the embroidery to be displayed on the balcony walls of the beautiful building which used to be the United Reformed Church in Robertson Street.

Subsequently, after I left office, this project was sadly dropped.

It has taken until now for a gallery in Rye to offer the public the opportunity to view this unique creation by the Royal School of Needlework.

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Congratulations to all at Bridge Point for achieving this, but the Hastings Embroidery cannot surely be allowed to return to storage again?

Hastings Borough Council must determine to find the embroidery a permanent home within the borough and maybe even a return to the pier might be a possibility?

Many live in hopes! Over to you HBC.

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