Bath Abbey has teamed up with Three Ways School in Bath and Stitch Friday, a needlework group from the St John’s Foundation, to create special artwork that will go on display later this month.
Inspired by the service of Holy Communion, the artwork represents an altar frontal, that will be installed on construction hoardings inside the Abbey as part of the Footprint project.
The piece is a combination of needlework by Stitch Friday featuring the sun, an overflowing chalice, and a dove representing the Holy Trinity, and designs of bread and wine by pupils from Three Way School.
It took six months to complete with ten members of the Stitch Friday group from The Bubble at St John’s Foundation spending over 500 hours cutting, stitching and decorating every element by hand while students from Three Ways School worked with local artist, Stephen Magrath to create artwork for the top of the altar.
The hoardings have been put up inside the Abbey by Bath building firm Emery’s, to close off the east end of the church.
This is so that essential work to repair the Abbey’s collapsing historic floor, install a new eco-heating system using Bath’s hot springs, and create new and improved facilities underground can be carried out as part of the Abbey’s Footprint project.
Ollie Taylor, Head of Interpretation, Learning and Engagement at Bath Abbey, said: “Footprint is very much a project with people at its heart.
“We’re so grateful to the St John’s stitching group, the artist, Stephen Magrath, and the pupils from Three Ways for their hard work and creativity. They really understood what the Abbey represents.
“As part of Footprint, we’ll have new learning and discovery spaces that will provide us with even more opportunities where we can work closely with schools and local community groups.”
Jill Perry, leader of the Stitch Friday group said: “We were delighted to have this opportunity to work with the Abbey and for our work to be seen by the thousands of people who visit.
“I’m so proud of our combined efforts, both the students and my fellow stitchers have really worked hard on our different pieces to create something that’s bright, colourful and eye-catching but is also meaningful, and we can’t wait to see it all come together.”
In addition to artwork inside the church, the external hoardings surrounding the Abbey will be decorated with artwork by local schools.
The hoardings will also feature information and colourful graphics about the Footprint project including a series of characters from the Abbey’s past introducing the new spaces and facilities that the project will create.
Charles Curnock, Footprint Project Director, said: “The building work that is currently taking place in the Abbey and the plans to preserve the collapsing floor and install new heating are vital to the Abbey’s future.
“However, it is important for us that the Footprint project isn’t just about bricks and mortar; it’s equally about people.
“Footprint will secure the Abbey building for future generations to enjoy, as well as creating new spaces that will allow us to connect and develop our work with the local community.”
The Footprint project is funded by the Heritage Lottery Fund and is a £19.3 million programme to secure the Abbey building and improve its hospitality, worship and service to the city.
To find out more about how to support Bath Abbey’s Footprint project, visit www.bathabbey.org/footprint.
