Who was William of Malmesbury?

By far the most interesting and distinguished figure in the life of the Abbey after the Conquest was the historian, William of Malmesbury.

Tony tells the story of his life: from his childhood as a boy-monk in Malmesbury to his glittering career as a prolific writer favoured by royalty.

William lived at an interesting time and witnessed both the building of Malmesbury Castle and the demolition of the Anglo-Saxon Abbey. Tony’s talk will explore the scale of William’s achievements, his personality and the world in which he lived.

The talk will also shed some important new light on the relationship between William and the Bayeux Tapestry. He will reveal a surprising connection between William’s account of 1066 and the iconic Bayeux scene showing Harold with an arrow in his eye.