The Great Tapestry of Scotland Comes to the Outer Hebrides

Part of one of Scotland’s most popular artworks will be on display in the Outer Hebrides during November and December. In partnership with Museum nan Eilean, 30 panels from the tapestry will be on display at Sgoil Lionacleit from 14 November-December 22. A number of events for all ages will be held at the exhibition.

The 142m tapestry, which is the brainchild of bestselling author Alexander McCall Smith, depicts the history of Scotland from the landscape’s geological formation to the reconvening of the Scottish Parliament in 1999.

The story is told in 159 boldly designed and intricately stitched panels that are the work of over 1,000 stitchers of all ages and both sexes from across Scotland. It is one of the nation’s largest community arts projects. 30 of these unique panels will be on display in Sgoil Lionacleit.

Since its hugely popular debut exhibition at the Scottish Parliament in September 2013, the Great Tapestry of Scotland has been taken to the hearts of Scottish communities. Over 325,000 visitors from all over the world have visited tapestry exhibitions at venues including the Scottish Parliament, Stirling Castle, Paisley Thread Mill, New Lanark, Aberdeen Art Gallery, and Ayr Town Hall.

Visitors have been amazed over by the tapestry’s epic scope and fascinated by the details of its stitching.

Great Tapestry of Scotland originator, author Alexander McCall Smith, said: “I am delighted that The Great Tapestry of Scotland is coming to the Western Isles. The Western Isles have made a great contribution to the history of Scotland and this is reflected in a number of the tapestry’s panels. I hope that as many people as possible will take the chance to see this magnificent and moving work of art when it comes to them in November and December.”

The project’s co-chairman and historian, Alistair Moffat, said: “This is a history of all of Scotland, and one that attempts to compass not only the whole nation but also all of its people as it tells the stories of shepherds, weavers, ploughmen, crofters, fishermen and all of the people who made our story come alive. Kings, queens and other powerful people have their place, but this is a unique way of telling our history – because it was made by the people of Scotland, a thousand stitchers, from Berwickshire to the Butt of Lewis.”

Trish Campbell Botten, Principal Officer Libraries & Heritage said, “We are delighted to welcome the Great Tapestry of Scotland to the Outer Hebrides in our council museum space in Benbecula. This is a wonderful opportunity to see such an impressive piece of art and history on our own doorsteps and to see the work created by local stitchers.”

Five of the tapestry’s stitchers are residents of the Western Isles. Margaret Macleod and Mary Macleod, the Lewis Stitchers, combined to make an early panel representing the visit of the Greek traveller Pytheas, who took a reading of latitude at Calanais in the fourth century BC.

A stitching group who named themselves ‘The Sea-Mistresses’ worked on the panel depicting the loss of HMY Iolaire in 1919. This group consisted of Tracey MacLeod and Gillian Scott-Forest from Harris and Moira Macpherson from South Uist. Over the months of winter stitching, this group sent their panel back and forth to each other in the care of Caledonian Macbrayne on the Leverburgh-Berneray ferry.

OPENING HOURS

November opening hours: Tues, Wed, Fri, Sat 10am-1pm & 2-5pm; Thur 10am-1pm & 2pm-7pm; Closed Sun & Mon.

December opening hours: Tues, Wed, Thurs, Sat 10am-1pm & 2-5pm; Fri 10am-1pm & 2pm-7pm; Closed Sun & Mon.

FREE ADMISSION; Tapestry merchandise is available, payment by cash or cheque only

PANELS ON DISPLAY

9. Pytheas Circumnavigates Scotland, Visits Calanais
10. The Kingdom of Dalriada
11. The Invasion of the Vikings
12. Somerled, Lord of the Isles
13. The Black Death
14. Wool Waulking
15. The Scottish Reformation
16. Droving
17. The Massacre at Glencoe, 1692
18. The Jacobite Rising, 1745
19. The Highland and Lowland Clearances
20. Weaving and Spinning
21. Robert Burns
22. Sheep Shearing
23. The First Reform Act, 1832
24. Fitba
25. Highland Games
26. Shinty and Curling
27. The Scots in North America
28. The Battle of the Braes
29. Herring Girls
30. 1914-1918 War
31. The Sinking of HMY Iolaire
32. Whaling
33. World War II
34. Scotland’s World Cup in Argentina
35. Gaelic Resurgence
36. Dolly the Sheep
37. The Scottish Parliament Reconvenes, 1999
38. Ceaseless Sea

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