Last Invasion Tapestry
A 30-metre embroidered tapestry in Fishguard Town Hall tells the story of the French landing of 1797, alongside period objects and a film.
Have only individual sections read aloud
About the museum
The Last Invasion Tapestry looks back at the events of February 1797, when a French force landed on the Pembrokeshire coast about three miles west of Fishguard, the last landing of an enemy army on British soil. The embroidery was commissioned by Fishguard Arts Society as a lasting memorial of the bicentenary commemorations in 1997 and is now owned by a charitable trust, Fishguard Invasion Centre Trust Ltd.
Design work began in 1993 under Elizabeth Cramp, who researched the story and drew it as a continuous strip about 30 metres long. Around 78 local people stitched it over four years in 37 separate panels that were joined afterwards. The wool colours and the stitches follow medieval embroidery traditions, and the tapestry has the same depth as the Bayeux Tapestry but is less than half its length. It mixes documented history with popular legend and a good deal of humour.
The tapestry hangs in a purpose-built gallery on the first floor of Fishguard Town Hall, attached to the public library. Display cases show objects, some from the eighteenth century, and an audio-visual room at the end of the gallery has a film about how the tapestry was made and a large map of the places where the invasion events took place.
Highlights
- 30-metre embroidered tapestry showing the 1797 French landing
- Story of local heroine Jemima Nicholas
- Display cases with eighteenth-century objects
- Film about the making of the tapestry
- Map of the invasion sites in the audio-visual room
Permanent exhibitions
- The Last Invasion Tapestry – A 30-metre embroidered panel sewn by local people that tells the story of the 1797 French landing near Fishguard and its surrender.
- Gallery displays and audio-visual room – Cases with objects from the time of the invasion, a film about making the tapestry and a detailed map of the invasion sites.
- Operated by
- Fishguard Invasion Centre Trust Ltd
Admission & discounts
| Adults | £3.50 |
|---|---|
| Children & teens | freefree up to age 17 · Free for visitors aged 17 and under. |
Free for Fishguard library card holders.
Accessibility
- Wheelchair accessible: no information
- Elevator
- Accessible restroom: no information
- Accessible parking: no information
- Service dogs welcome: no information
- Tactile models & exhibits: no information
- Sign language tours: no information
- Easy-to-read materials: no information
- Audio description: no information
A lift in the foyer serves the first-floor gallery. Toilets are on the ground floor, in the foyer and at the back of the market hall.
Kids & families
| Kids’ admission | free up to age 17 |
|---|
Visitors aged 17 and under enter free.
Getting there & parking
By car
Paid parking
Parc Y Shwt car park behind the Town Hall; pay by cash or the PayByPhone app.
The gallery is on the first floor of Fishguard Town Hall in Market Square.
Get directionsAmenities & dining
Wi-Fi is mentioned only for the audio-visual room, which is used for meetings and classes.
Events & venue rental
- Spaces for rent
Up to 32 guests.
The audio-visual room seats up to 32 people and has an interactive whiteboard, Wi-Fi, media player and smart TV. Bookings go through Fishguard Library (01437 776638); the library may close the room off if needed.
Plan your visit
| Photography | Photography and filming are not allowed in the tapestry gallery. |
|---|---|
| Good to know | The gallery holds up to 60 people at a time. Group bookings for the room and the tapestry are taken by Fishguard Library. |
