Bayeux Tapestry Scene, illustrating the Norman invasion fleet in the year 1066 AD. The Bayeux Tapestry, nearly 70 meters long, is an embroidered linen cloth narrating William the Conqueror's rise to the throne of England and culminating in the Battle of Hastings. It was probably made in England during 1073-1083 AD. The Normans had similar boats to their ancestors, the Vikings. They had a hull built of overlapping planks (clinker or lapstrake hull). The single sail meant that boats could not tack into the wind. The boat's direction was changed using a steerboard placed on the right hand side of a boat; from this we get the word "starboard", which describes this side of a ship. The Bayeux Tapestry is also famous for illustrating the return of Halley's Comet in 1066.