THE TAPESTRY at Coventry’s St Mary’s Guildhall, which dates back to the turn of the 16th Century, has been removed temporarily as part of steps to ensure its long-term preservation.
Textile specialists removed the piece to carry out conservation treatment.
St Mary’s Guildhall is widely recognised as one of the finest medieval guildhalls in the country. It dates back to 1352 and miraculously survived the blitz of 1940 which devastated much of the city.
Coun David Welsh, cabinet member for Heritage in Coventry, said: “I’d really like to compliment the conservators for their careful and precise attention to detail when removing the giant tapestry.
“It’s fascinating seeing it up close, the intricate work that went into weaving the material is unbelievable.
“As a Council we have helped secure external investments amounting to £5.6million to breathe new life into the Guildhall.
“There is extensive work under way to sensitively restore and refurbish many important parts of the Guildhall and part of this will be to showcase the tapestry in a way that visitors can access, while preserving the item for many years to come.”
Once conservation work is carried out the tapestry will then be displayed with a new casing.
New interpretation, including a digital tour and interactive activities are also being developed to share the story of the tapestry.
The conservation and redisplay of the tapestry has been made possible with support from the Heritage Fund thanks to National Lottery players.
