Liverpool Cathedral Joins Historic Embroidery Project Marking 400 Years of the Upholders’ Royal Charter

Liverpool Cathedral Joins Historic Embroidery Project Marking 400 Years of the Upholders’ Royal Charter

In early 2025, Liverpool Cathedral was invited to take part in an extraordinary nationwide collaboration instigated by the Worshipful Company of Upholders, one of the City of London’s historic livery companies. It involves twelve English cathedrals, the Royal School of Needlework, and Fine Cell Work.

Together, we are contributing to the Circle of Life – an ambitious and deeply meaningful embroidery project commemorating the 400th anniversary of the Upholders receiving their Royal Charter in 1626. The final work will be unveiled in July 2026.

A Revival of English Craftsmanship

The Circle of Life will be the most significant piece of Opus Anglicanum (Latin for “English work”) embroidery created in nearly 500 years – since the famed Fishmongers’ Pall of 1530. This intricate medieval stitch, once renowned across Europe, involves the use of fine gold and silver thread to create richly detailed religious and ceremonial textiles. The project is a rare opportunity to revive and celebrate this endangered art.

The work has been designed by renowned iconographer Aidan Hart, the artist behind the Anointing Screen used during the Coronation of King Charles III in 2023. It will include twelve embroidered panels, each created by a different participating cathedral team, alongside contributions from Fine Cell Work, a charity that trains prisoners in skilled needlework.

Liverpool’s Role in the Circle

Liverpool Cathedral’s talented embroidery volunteers are hard at work creating two components for the final piece:

• A gold silhouette of our own cathedral, contributing to a central ring of sacred architecture.
• A narrative panel reflecting a key moment from the Upholders’ history – including traditional crafts such as mattress-making, scenes from historical London and our links to the funeral trade.

These pieces will form part of a magnificent 2.3m-wide circular textile, crafted from luxury wool and mounted in a museum-quality timber and glass frame. The finished Circle of Life will also double as a funeral pall, with detachable elements that can be displayed or used in ceremonial services.

Embroidery, Education, and Engagement

The Royal School of Needlework is leading the training and coordination of over 80 volunteer stitchers across England. Our Liverpool team is among those learning and applying the rare Opus Anglicanum technique under expert guidance. Through this process, we are not only helping to create a piece of national significance, but also raising awareness of the historic textiles cared for by cathedrals, and celebrating the often unsung work of church embroidery teams.

To support the project and maintain connections between stitchers, representatives from the Worshipful Company of Upholders – fondly called Upholders’ Champions – are visiting teams across the country, offering encouragement, guidance, and plenty of tea and cake!

What Comes Next

Once complete, the Circle of Life will go on tour to each of the twelve participating cathedrals, giving the public a chance to admire this once-in-a-generation artwork up close. A commemorative book will also be produced, capturing the story, symbolism, and skill behind each panel and the people who made them.

We are incredibly proud to be part of this historic project – one that unites craftsmanship, heritage, and community across the Church of England.

Stay tuned as we share more behind the scenes updates from our embroidery team in the months to come.