04/02/2026
The Ad Gefrin Embroideries, Part One: The Inspiration.
The nine embroideries that adorn the walls of the Great Hall at Ad Gefrin are the culmination of many years of practising this historic art form.
When we were first approached to undertake the project, our starting point wasn’t thread or fabric, but people. Who would have commissioned wall hangings like these in the Anglo-Saxon world? Where would they have been displayed, and who would have stood beneath them as their audience?
We know such textiles did exist. Evidence survives in the wills of Anglo-Saxon noblewomen, such as Wynflaed (c.950), who bequeathed “hangings” and a “bed curtain”. Very few examples remain, however, so we drew on a wide range of related sources.
The early 7th century marked the beginning of Northumbria’s Golden Age, when insular artistic traditions blended with incoming European influences. This rich visual language shaped our approach and provided abundant material to translate onto linen using woollen threads. We studied surviving embroideries such as St Cuthbert’s Stole and Maniple, likely commissioned by Ælflaed, Queen of Edward the Elder, alongside the Maaseik embroideries of the 8th–9th centuries, whose style closely mirrors contemporary manuscript illumination.
The Bayeux Tapestry, although much later, offered valuable insight into stitches, materials, colours and the varying hands behind its creation.
Earlier sources were just as important. Stone carvings on Anglo-Saxon crosses, notably the Ruthwell and Bewcastle Crosses, inspired three of the panels, while illuminated manuscripts such as the Lindisfarne Gospels and the Book of Durrow shaped four more.
The final two embroideries were inspired by a panel from the Sutton Hoo helmet, an iconic object contemporary with the reign of King Edwin of Northumbria.
With a clear vision in place, we planned a series of images to fill the Great Hall walls, speaking of Northumbrian religion, wealth, status and power. Size, subject matter and colour were carefully considered, and after months of discussion and planning, the project was set in motion.
