Greggs embroidery inspired by Bayeux Tapestry to go on show in Newcastle

An 8-metre embroidered artwork detailing the history of the Greggs Sausage Roll - the ‘Ta-Pastry’- has come home to Newcastle.

The stitch-perfect tribute to the humble Sausage Roll is on display at the Great North Museum: Hancock from Saturday, October 24 until 2027.

The Greggs ‘Ta Pastry’ - an 8 metre-long embroidered artwork celebrating the heritage of the Greggs Sausage Roll - at the Great North Museum: Hancock. Picture: Ben Queenborough/PinPep

placeholder image — The Greggs ‘Ta Pastry’ - an 8 metre-long embroidered artwork celebrating the heritage of the Greggs Sausage Roll - at the Great North Museum: Hancock. Picture: Ben Queenborough/PinPep

First launched at London's Design Museum in June to commemorate National Sausage Roll Day, thousands turned out to view the needlepoint work up close.

Drawing inspiration from the landmark return of the 11th-century Bayeux Tapestry to the UK last month, the artwork trades medieval warfare for a modern retelling of Britain’s favourite pastry.

A close-up view of the embroidered artwork. Picture: Ben Queenborough/PinPep

The Greggs ‘Ta-Pastry’ is on display in the museum at the same time as a 174-year-old, hand-drawn version of the Bayeux Tapestry created by Newcastle schoolboys. ‘Bayeux-on-Tyne: Drawing the Bayeux Tapestry’ is part of the British Museum’s ‘Bayeux Around Britain’ programme, supported by WorldQuant.

To bring the epic piece to life, Greggs partnered with master atelier Hawthorne & Heaney - Royal embroiderers renowned for high-precision military and ceremonial needlework.

It involved: 200+ hours of painstaking needlecraft by master artisans; 5,521,238 individual stitches anchoring six historical scenes; 40 kilometres of thread running through the fabric; and13 bespoke thread colours, including specially dyed Greggs blue and gold.

Zoe Harris, customer director at Greggs, said: “The Sausage Roll is woven into the very fabric of British culture, but its heart will always belong to the North East.

"Just as the Bayeux Tapestry captured a defining moment in history, this 200-hour hand-stitched masterpiece is a fitting tribute to one of Britain’s best-loved icons.”

Malavika Anderson, museum manager at the Great North Museum: Hancock, added: “We're very excited to welcome this modern piece of northern pop-culture heritage to the Great North Museum: Hancock. It offers visitors a brilliant, playful contrast to the ancient collections, and we expect it to be a huge hit with families and culture lovers alike.”

Free entry