The Seven Saxon Kings Embroidery Project

Introduction – The Seven Saxon King Embroidery Project – A Tribute to Kingston’s Anglo-Saxon Heritage through Embroidery

Within the busy centre of Kingston upon Thames, All Saints Church is celebrating Kingston’s

remarkable, but surprisingly little known, Anglo-Saxon history.

Over a millennium ago, Kingston was an important ceremonial site where seven Saxon kings, including the esteemed first ‘Kings of England,’ are traditionally thought to have been crowned.  All Saints Church, a Grade I listed building, has an important role in Kingston’s Saxon history. Before All Saints Church was built, the site was an important estate of the West Saxon Kings and host to Royal coronations.

A Contemporary Tribute

To celebrate Kingston’s rich Anglo-Saxon heritage, All Saints Church has embarked on a remarkable embroidery project. This ambitious initiative aims to immortalize the lives of seven Saxon kings through a series of seven richly detailed contemporary embroidered artworks, appropriate for this important church.

Currently, four stunning embroideries (depicting Athelstan, Edmund, Eadred and Eadwig) are in situ in the Church, with the embroidery of Edward the Elder and Aethelflaed complete and being beaded and embroidery samples currently being made for Edward the Martyr.  We are tantalisingly close to reaching our funding goal for phase one of the project to “get the embroideries on the wall” and will then move to phase 2 which is to create education and interpretation resources for people to learn about the embroideries and the project itself.

Our goal is to unveil all seven embroideries this year when the town will be celebrating the 1100th anniversary of Athelstan’s coronation with a special commemoration service on September 4th.

Crafting History: The Process Behind the Seven Saxon Kings Embroidery Project

The Seven Saxon Kings Project has been a labour of love, bringing together talented artists and makers. From the outset, the challenge was clear: distilling complex historical narratives into single images that would resonate with audiences. This required meticulous research and analysis, ensuring that each panel would authentically capture the essence of its respective king’s reign.

The project started nearly a decade ago with a design competition, open to students at art colleges and universities in England, which Sophia Pearson won, laying the groundwork with her initial concept designs. The Seven Saxon Kings Project then enlisted contemporary embroidery artist, Dr Jacky Puzey, and her award winning embroidery studio which specialises in bespoke creative commissions. Jacky significantly developed and skilfully translated the designs into the intricate modern embroideries we see today. Additional embellishments were commissioned from embroidery artist and beader Beatrice Mayfield, who regularly collaborates with Jacky’s studio. Jacky Puzey’s expertise has been instrumental in shaping this project from the vibrant beginnings of the competition to the exquisite sophisticated final product we see today.

Reflecting on her role in the project, Dr Jacky Puzey shared her passion for historical research and figurative drawing, emphasizing the excitement of such a meaningful commission:

“My embroidery work specialises in striking images and detailed research, from textile history to contemporary embroidery skills. This commission is an exciting chance to work on a series of large works that will form a permanent installation in the Church, continuing both the rich traditions of English ecclesiastical embroidery over the centuries and creating a contemporary figurative embroidery artwork that depicts an Anglo-Saxon royal history of All Saints Kingston.”

Dr Jacky Puzey

All Saints Church are dedicated to creating works of enduring value, and as such, conservation has been a priority throughout the entire project. Every aspect, from the selection of threads and backing materials to the choice of display, including the use of museum-quality conservation glass and other carefully chosen materials, has been meticulously considered. These decisions have been guided by the expertise of our conservation consultant Janie Lightfoot Textiles and are aimed at ensuring the longevity and preservation of the embroideries for generations to come. By prioritizing conservation at every step, we are confident that the beauty and significance of these artworks will be preserved for centuries, allowing future audiences to appreciate their historical and artistic value.

Embracing The Future

The ambition of our Seven Saxon Kings Embroidery project is to bring Kingston’s heritage alive and make it accessible and visible to Kingston residents and visitors. This project has the ambition to put Kingston on the map as the place to go to find out about Saxon history and to discover where modern England began.

But we cannot achieve this vision alone. We need your support to ensure that Kingston’s Saxon heritage story resonates for generations to come. Please help us to raise the funds needed to complete this project by the year 2025. Every contribution, regardless of size, is deeply appreciated.  Donate here.

More information:

About the artists:

• Jacky Puzey: Based in Bristol, Jacky Puzey seamlessly merges artisanal craftsmanship with digital innovation. With a background in Fine Art and a PhD in Fashion, Textiles, and Visual Culture, her expertise brings a contemporary flair to traditional embroidery.

www.jackypuzey.com

• Beatrice Mayfield: Based in London, Beatrice is a contemporary hand embroiderer.

www.beatricemayfield.co.uk

From Echo location article Canadian & Portland — Studio KT1

When Athelstan, the first king of a unified England and the first to wear a crown, ascended the throne in 925, he chose to be “consecrated” in Kingston upon Thames.

Indeed, seven Anglo-Saxon kings – among them Eadweard the Elder, Ethelred the Unready and Eadweard the Martyr – are believed to have been crowned here on the King’s Stone, a sarsen geologically similar to those at Stonehenge. It survives to this day, though the original chapel outside which it stood is long gone, replaced by All Saints Church.