Royal, Ecclesiastical and Ceremonial Fabrics
After setting up The St Edmundsbury Weaving Works in Haslemere in 1902, bespoke royal and ecclesiastical commissions formed the bulk of the orders for the young firm. Lavish, rich and colourful these handwoven textiles were made of yarns of silk with metallic threads of copper, silver and gold with cotton and wool blends. Altar frontals were ordered by Queen Alexandra for the private chapels at Windsor Castle and Buckingham Palace. The Palace frontal is still used at The Chapel Royal, St James’s Palace. Frontal and dorsal fabrics ( embroidered by Morris & Co ) were supplied for the Coronation in Westminster Abbey in 1911. Other important ceremonial textiles of the period include a lenten altar frontal for St Paul’s Cathedral in 1903. This fabric is still used during Lent at the Cathedral.
Chapel Royal images are courtesy of Her Majesty’s Chapels Royal /© Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II 2020.
Images of the St Paul’s altar frontal are courtesy of The Dean and Chapter of St Paul’s Cathedral.
Images marked with prefix WG are courtesy of The Whitworth Art Gallery, Manchester.
