Textile treasures of the Middle Ages
1 day | £99 per person | 27 November 2026
Textile treasures of the Middle Ages
Woven, embroidered, appliquéd, quilted, and painted textiles were some of the most precious commodities of the Middle Ages, as costly as precious metal objects and schemes of stained-glass windows, far more expensive than a painted panel or an illuminated manuscript. This lecture day will consider the craftspeople, often women, who made them, the materials and techniques employed, and the contexts, sacred and secular, in which textiles were used. Eventhough they were immensely fragile and vulnerable to wear and tear, neglect, exposure to high levels of light, fire, and flood, a remarkable number of medieval textiles survive, including the 70 metre-long Bayeux Tapestry (an embroidery despite its familiar title!), the centrepiece of a forthcoming exhibition at the British Museum (September 2026 - June 2027).
This Lecture is held at the Art Workers' Guild in Queen Square London.
TIMETABLE FOR THE DAY
10.30-11.00 Welcome refreshments
11:00-12:00 – Lecture 1
12:00- 12.30 Refreshments
12:30-13:30 – Lecture 2
13:30-14:30 – Lunch
14:30-15:30 Lecture 3
Price: £99
Date:
27 November 2026
Your day includes:
- Three lectures
- Refreshments
- Light lunch
Expert Lecturer
Dr Sally Dormer
As Director of the Early Medieval Year Course at the V&A, Sally is an expert in medieval art and history. She completed her PhD at the Courtauld Institute, and was, until recently, Dean of European Studies, a study-abroad semester for undergraduates at the University of the South and Rhodes College, TN, USA. Sally also lectures for the Art Fund, the Arts Society, and Ciceroni.
