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August 3, 2010

A stitch in time tells a town’s rich history

It was a visit to the world famous Bayeux Tapestry that first sparked the idea.   One year on, the outcome of a remarkable collaboration involving over 200 artists and stitchers from communities across the country was unveiled last week. The Prestonpans Tapestry, thought to be the world’s longest, charts the journey of Bonnie Prince Charlie from his landing on the Western Isles in 1745 to his famous victory at Prestonpans a month later

The Prestonpans Tapestry – website

The Prestonpans Tapestry celebrates the enduring triumph of youthful hope and ambition.  The journey that the 25 year old Bonnie Prince Charlie made from France then through the Scottish Highlands to victory at Prestonpans is depicted in 104 metre-wide embroidered panels.

Each has been created by volunteer embroiderers along the route.  More than 200 embroiderers worked over 25,000 hours from January to June 2010 to create the 104 X 1 meter panels. They have created the longest tapestry in the world.

The 104 tapestry panels were finally completed for the first and ‘Private Viewing’ by The Stitchers themselves on July 26th 2010 on The Green Hills, Prestonpans.  Glowing tributes were paid to design artist Andrew Crummy and the 200+ Stitchers led by Dorie Wilkie with her core team of ‘Panel Beaters’.

The Tapestry then began its Highlands and Lowlands Tour in the footsteps and on the dates the Prince himself travelled in 1745 returning to Prestonpans by September.

Prestonpans Tapestry Parade
July 23rd / September 26th 2010
The finished Tapestry will be paraded along the routes the Prince and Sir John Cope took in 1745
The full Parade Schedule is still emerging but the following venues and events
are now firm fixtures/ provisional*:

July 31st/ August 1st: Eriskay – The Prince’s Strand @Village Hall
August 3rd/ 4th : Arisaig – Borrodale House/ Kinlochmoidart @ Astley Hall
August 8th/ 10th: Invergordon – Twin Scottish Murals Town with Prestonpans @ Naval Museum
August 19th/ 20th: Fort William – @ Nevis Centre
August 21st/ 22nd: Glenfinnan – their Highland Games – @ Glenuig Hall
August 28th/ 29th: Stirling – @ Smith Museum & Art Gallery
Aug 31st/ Sept 3rd: Blair Castle – where the Prince stayed on even dates @ Ballroom
September 5th/8th: Perth – @ Salutation Inn where the Prince held Council
September 11th/ 13th Dunblane – @ Dunblane Cathedral
September 16th Gullane – @ Village Hall
Sept 17th/ 18th: Dunbar – where Cope landed his troops on even date*
Sept 24th/26th: Prestonpans – @ Community Centre – where the battle was lost and won
Sepember 28th/ 29th Pencaitland*
October ….. Edinburgh/ [Georgia USA/ Ontario- Global Murals Conferences]
December 4th/5th: Derby* – where Victory beckoned but was cast aside?

The purpose of the Parade is firstly to thank stitchers and their communities directly; and secondly to gain maximum publicity for the Trust’s campaign and our proposal to the Nation for a Living History Centre in Prestonpans.
Any other community wishing to receive and present the Tapestry, please get in touch by email a  waukin@battleofprestonpans1745.org

Further information on the tapestry is available at Prestonpans Tapestry