by David Cowcill
Most scholars support the view that the Bayeux Tapestry was commissioned by Odo, William’s half brother, soldier and also Bishop of Bayeux. Odo was a participant at the Battle of Hastings,1066, and was often left in charge of England whilst William was away.
Amongst Odo’s core team was Turold – variously described as a vassal tenant agent or commissioner, and active in seizing land on Odo’s behalf. Turold was made Abbot of Peterborough in 1069, partly to assure the area’s security against the local rebels including Hereward the Wake. He brought with him many Norman knights, one of whom was Roger Infans, soon to become the tenant of Torpel Castle (see https://www.bbc.co.uk/history/british/normans/after_01.shtml).
A Turold is depicted on the Bayeux Tapestry in one of the early pre-battle panels, as were two other important members of Odo’s team. Turold was a common name (of Danish origin) and it is unclear if the illustration is of Odo’s agent or a dwarf “jongleur” or clown (leading the horse). If the former that is the connection between Torpel and the Bayeux Tapestry.
I like to think it is, and that any Langdyke members who are privileged to see the tapestry at the British Museum exhibition have a small smile of recognition as they pass. The late Freida Gosling originally made the connection to Turold in her research of the Torpel Story.
Image from Wikipedia under Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 License;