TheBattle of Prestonpans Tapestry 1745, or simply thePrestonpans Tapestry, is a largeembroidery created in 2010 inPrestonpans, East Lothian, Scotland. It depicts the events before, during and after theBattle of Prestonpans on 21 September 1745, whenBonnie Prince Charlie'sJacobite forces triumphed over theHanoverian Army led bySir John Cope. The design, size and style were inspired by theBayeux Tapestry.
The Tapestry is, like the Bayeux Tapestry, anembroidered cloth, rather than a true woventapestry. It is annotated in English but an animated DVD is also available in French and text materials in French and Gaelic. More than two hundred embroiderers created the work over a two-year period; more than half these reside in Scotland from the places where Bonnie Prince Charlie marched to his victory. Other embroiderers with family links come from as far as the US, Australia and New Zealand. The complete artwork measures 104 metres (341 ft), and consists of 103 panels, each one metre long and 500mm high. It is about 30 metres (98 ft) longer than the Bayeux Tapestry.
The tapestry was the brainchild of the Prestoungrange Arts Festival, the Battle of Prestonpans 1745 Heritage Trust, the Founding Chairman of the Trust (Dr Gordon Prestoungrange, Baron of Prestoungrange), and the designer DrAndrew Crummy. Historical and architectural advice was obtained from Professor Martin Margulies, Arran Johnston and Gareth Bryn-Jones. The embroiderers were led by Dorie Wilkie.
The completed work was unveiled to a private gathering of 500 of the embroiderers and their friends on 26 July 2010, at The Greenhills nearCockenzie Power Station, which is on the edge of the Prestonpans battlefield itself.
Since its creation, the Tapestry has travelled around the Highlands and Lowlands, and to England and France, attracting over 150,000 visitors in its first two years.
Exhibitions have included theScottish Parliament and theScottish Storytelling Centre,St. Mary's Cathedral, Edinburgh, to coincide with theEdinburgh Festival in 2011 and 2012,Alexandra Palace in London andPornichet,St Nazaire, in France (from where the Prince embarked to launch his campaign in 1745). In September and October 2013 it was exhibited inBayeux by invitation of the museum holding the tapestry that was its inspiration.
Exhibitions have continued across Scotland and in June/July 2017, after more than 500,000 had seen the artwork, it was displayed in the Scottish Parliament followed in August by exhibition at theFestival Interceltique inLorient in Brittany.
The Battle of Prestonpans [1745] Heritage Trust expects to be able to find a permanent home within the next five years[when?] that will also be a "living history centre" for all other aspects of the battle and a hub for a nationwide and international Jacobite Trail.
After seeing the Prestonpans Tapestry,Alexander McCall Smith commissioned theGreat Tapestry of Scotland. Designed by historian and co-chairmanAlistair Moffat and artist Andrew Crummy, with contributions from approximately 1000 stitchers from across Scotland, it depicts the history of Scotland fromprehistoric times until the present day. The longest tapestry in the world at that time, it was unveiled at theScottish Parliament on 3 September 2013 where it hung for 3 weeks.[1]
More recently, theScottish Diaspora Tapestry has been developed by the Prestoungrange Arts Festival, with support from the Scottish Government, Bord na Gaidhlig, Creative Scotland and Homecoming 2014. Dr Gordon Prestoungrange led a team across the globe to embroider the tapestry, telling stories from 34 countries where Scots have settled. Andrew Crummy was again the designer. It was exhibited throughout the 2014 Year of Homecoming in Scotland, at locations in Scotland, England, Norway, the Netherlands, Italy, and France. In 2016–17 it toured in Australia, New Zealand, Canada, the US and Iceland, before returning to be shown in London, Edinburgh and Prestonpans. It is intended that it will find a permanent home in Prestonpans alongside the Prestonpans Tapestry.
