A website to document events and scholarship around the Year of the Normans in the UK
This site is in development and will be added to in the coming weeks
William the Conqueror, famous for his victory at the Battle of Hastings in 1066, may have been born in 1027. Like most medieval people, his birth was not recorded. William was an illegitimate son of Robert, duke of Normandy, and his claim to Normandy, let alone England, was not clear at his birth. However, the William’s conquest of England in 1066 has come to be seen as a key date in English history.
In 2027 the MILLENIUM project brings together groups from seven European regions with Norman heritage to explore the impact of the medieval Normans on contemporary ideas about our history and culture.
Events
Events about the Norman Conquest are taking place around the UK. Click here to find out what’s going on in your area.
Exhibitions
Due to the closure of the Bayeux Tapestry Museum for renovation, the Tapestry is on display at the British Museum from September 2026 to July 2027. This blockbuster exhibition has inspired a range of activities.
What does the Bayeux Tapestry mean to you? The Institute of Historical Research is archiving people’s Bayeux Tapestry stories to better understand how and why we engage with it today. Add your story via this online form.
Exhibitions of facsimiles of the Tapestry and related materials are taking place around the country. Click here to find out more.
A major exhibition at the British Library, Conquest: The Making of Norman England, will run from October 2027 to February 2028 and explore the impact of William the Conqueror and his descendants on England.
The Battle Conference
2027 sees the 50th anniversary of the Battle Conference on Anglo-Norman Studies. The 2027 conference will take place at Caen, Normandy and will be an opportunity to reflect on half a century of scholarship about the Middle Ages. More information is available here.
