Wildflower Altar Frontal. Sixty years, nineteen wildflowers.
For six decades, the Hereford Cathedral Broderers have quietly preserved history through needle and thread. This altar frontal brings together their craft, the flora of the county and the shared effort of a close team of volunteers. It was planned to mark the Broderers’ 60th anniversary in 2024, as the old white frontal for the high altar was showing its age.
The current team of six women, led by Head Broderer Mary Roberts, meets on Wednesdays in their studio overlooking the cathedral and the cloisters. They include teachers, an archaeologist, a weaver, a scientist and a musician, and they bring many skills as well as textile expertise to the group. Mary ensures everyone uses their strengths and enjoys their work. Decisions are made as a team, and there is much problem solving (and laughter!) along the way until a project is completed.
Designing a new frontal involves research, drawing and discussion, and finally a full-sized paper version before any stitching can begin. The finished frontal measures nearly three metres in length and showcases 19 species of Herefordshire wildflowers, some common and others very rare. The flowers and leaves are worked on small hoops, then appliquéd to the main fabric and edged with handmade cords.
The Broderers’ work reaches well beyond it. These dedicated volunteers create, maintain and restore textiles for Hereford Cathedral and for churches across the Hereford Diocese.
The wildflower frontal shows that cathedral textiles can carry the character of a county as well as the worship of a congregation. It links a team of volunteers with very different skills, the plants of the Herefordshire countryside and sixty years of quiet, patient work.
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