SEPTEMBER 2024

Annual meeting, a talk by Sue about Whalley Abbey Vestments

The first meeting after the summer break started as usual with the informal get together.  We had two visitors who came after meeting our members who manned the stall at Gawthorpe Hall in July.  They wanted to find out what sort of things we got up to.  We love people who are interested in threads coming to see if they would fit into the group.  

At 2 pm we started our Annual meeting - hearing what we had done over the past year and what was coming in the year 2024 / 25.  There is a chance of having two visiting tutors / speakers this next year and we discussed whether we could afford them both.  The answer was yes.  Something to look forward to.  

We decided on two raffles a year - Christmas and July.  The subs for 2025 / 26 would be increased to £45. 

When the group was demonstrating at Gawthorpe Hall it was felt the visitors did not know who we were so Val suggested it might be a good idea to have a banner - that could be rolled /or folded up that would be light and easily transported and would instantly let people know who we were. It was decided we would make a banner with each member making a 3 inch square of work mounted onto a 5 inch square of fabric (to allow for a hem).  The fabric to be neural - beige, creamy colour, not  pastel colours e.g pinks or blues.  Any technique and  any colour of thread can be used.   In the middle would be our name - Pendle Threads.  

WHALLEY ABBEY VESTMENTS

Our member Sue told us all about her interest in the Whalley Abbey Vestments that have been on display at Towneley Hall.  Towneley is closed at the moment but they will be on display once the Hall is open again. 

When the Abbey was destroyed as part of the Dissolution of the Monasteries carried out by Henry VIII, the vestments were rescued by Sir John Towneley and brought to Towneley Hall for safekeeping.  They were later acquired by Lancashire County Council and one piece bought by the Burrell Collection, Glasgow.  

These Vestments are so precious because they are some of only a few remaining from this period. The chasuble, maniple and one dalmatic are in the collection of Towneley Hall, The other dalmatic is in the Burrell Collection.

The vestments were worked in the Middle Ages in a Style of ecclesiastical embroidery known as ‘Opus Anglicanum’ 

In these photographs you can see two of the vestments and two examples of cloth of gold which also formed a part of her talk.  

The goldwork pieces are not part of the Towneley Collection.  

Sue was very interested in the pomegranate and strawberry designs.  

We are lucky to have such wonderful pieces of history in our area.

Thank you Sue for reminding us about such rare pieces.