Bayeux Tapestry’s UK return set to shine spotlight on 1066 Country

The Bayeux Tapestry’s landmark return to the UK is already fuelling interest beyond the British Museum, with new search data suggesting travellers are looking to connect the exhibition with East Sussex’s 1066 heritage landscape. 

The Relais Cooden Beach, a coastal hotel in Bexhill-on-Sea, which sits in the heart of 1066 Country, has revealed that UK Google searches for “Bayeux Tapestry Museum” have soared by 250% in the past week, while searches for “Bayeux Tapestry British Museum dates” have surged by 110%.

Interest is already extending beyond the exhibition itself, with searches for “Battle of Hastings location” also starting to climb, up 30% in the past week. The rise suggests the show could fuel wider interest in historical tourism, as visitors look to experience the real 1066 landscapes connected to the Bayeux Tapestry - from Battle Abbey and Hastings to Pevensey and the East Sussex coastline.

All you need to know about the exhibition

The major loan show, running from 10 September 2026 to 11 July 2027, will bring the 11th-century embroidery back to England for the first time in nearly 1,000 years. The tapestry, which depicts the events leading up to the Norman Conquest and the Battle of Hastings in 1066, will be displayed at the British Museum in one continuous 70-metre length, supported by digital interpretation and related medieval objects.

The exhibition is expected to be one of the British Museum’s most in-demand shows, with tickets being released in phases for timed 40-minute entry slots. The first release covers visits from September to December 2026, with further dates set to be made available in later ticket releases.

Chris Cooper, Chief Operating Officer at The Relais Cooden Beach said: “The Bayeux Tapestry coming to the UK is not just a major exhibition, it is a chance for people to reconnect with the places where one of the most significant chapters in English history unfolded.

“The rise in searches suggests visitors are already looking beyond the museum walls, with growing interest in the real 1066 landscapes of East Sussex, from Battle Abbey and Hastings to Pevensey and the surrounding coastline.

“For anyone planning to follow the story from the tapestry to the places themselves, The Relais Cooden Beach offers a calm coastal base, with 1066 landmarks within easy reach and the beach just steps from the hotel.” 

Explore 1066 Country from The Relais Cooden Beach

For visitors inspired by the Bayeux Tapestry, The Relais Cooden Beach offers the perfect coastal base for stepping out of the museum and into the real 1066 landscape.

Set directly on the beach in Bexhill-on-Sea, the hotel places guests within easy reach of the historic sites that shaped the Norman Conquest:

Battle Abbey and Battlefield

Stand where one of the most famous battles in English history unfolded, on the site traditionally associated with the Battle of Hastings.

Hastings Castle

Explore the remains of William the Conqueror’s first Norman castle in England, overlooking the town forever linked with 1066.

Pevensey Castle

Visit the coastal fortress near where William is said to have landed with his army in September 1066.

The 1066 Country Walk

Follow sections of the 31-mile route connecting Pevensey, Battle and Rye, tracing the landscapes linked to the conquest.

After a day exploring abbeys, castles, battlefields and coastlines, guests can return to beachfront dining, sea views and a relaxed stay at The Relais Cooden Beach, turning a visit to the British Museum’s Bayeux Tapestry exhibition into a full 1066 Country escape.

For more information or to book a stay, visit The Relais Cooden Beach.

Ends

Editors notes

Methodology

Google search data was collected looking at the search terms within the UK in the past week. Data is correct as of 01/07/2026.

About The Relais Cooden Beach 

The Relais Cooden Beach Hotel & Spa is an independently owned four-star beachfront hotel in Bexhill-on-Sea, East Sussex, and part of the award-winning Relais Retreats collection. Originally established in 1928, it offers relaxed coastal luxury, warm hospitality and uninterrupted views across the English Channel, less than two hours from London. 

Set directly on Cooden Beach, the hotel is a destination for spa breaks, wellness retreats, romantic weekends, family holidays, dog-friendly stays, weddings, private celebrations and corporate escapes. Guests can enjoy stylish accommodation, seasonal dining, a beachfront terrace, indoor spa facilities and a unique Beachfront Spa with a hot tub, sauna, cold plunge and sea-view relaxation area. 

Perfectly placed for beach walks, cycling and exploring Hastings, Battle, 1066 Country and the South Downs, The Relais Cooden Beach Hotel & Spa invites guests to pause, reconnect and experience waterside wellbeing on the Sussex coast. 

https://therelaiscoodenbeach.com/ 

About The Relais Retreats

The Relais Retreats are distinctively elegant English waterside escapes in evocative locations within two hours of London. Each property is designed as a restorative getaway that offers thoughtful, personalised service.

In 2021, The Relais Henley was the first property to open under The Relais Retreats brand. This iconic 16th century coaching inn on the River Thames has been sensitively restored and elegantly re-imagined as a stylish retreat. The second property, fully renovated and re-opened in 2022 as The Relais Cooden Beach, is wonderfully situated on its own private beachfront in the coastal Sussex enclave of Bexhill-on-Sea.