Quaker Tapestry

One of the more unusual exhibitions that can be found in the Lake District and its surrounding towns is located in the Friends Meeting House in Kendal – which celebrated its 200th anniversary in 2016.

Here you will find the Quaker Tapestry, a large piece of work that took 4,000 people in 15 countries several years to complete.

The Meeting House is also home to a collection of artefacts relating to the Quaker movement, as well as new exhibits. Children are kept entertained through activities, treasure hunts, toys, and dressing up clothes and the museum offers a discounted entry fee for parents of pre-school children.

Things To See

The tapestry was the vision of Quaker Anne Wynn-Wilson who was inspired by a comment a pupil made during a Sunday school class to create something similar to the Bayeux Tapestry that focused on the history and achievements of Quakers throughout the world. As she started work on the project, more and more people became interested and eventually 4,000 people from across the world contributed to the stitching effort that resulted in the creation of 77 panels.

Today, around half of the panels are on display at the Friends Meeting House in Kendal, and each one depicts the story of a notable Quaker, or piece of social history influenced by Quakers. From the panels, you can learn about the links to companies, such as Cadbury, Lloyds Bank, and Clarks Shoes; or the Quaker scientists, such as John Dalton, who changed our understanding of matter. Other notable figures featured include Elizabeth Fry, who played a crucial role in prison reform.

In addition, the museum has a collection of around 500 items that have been donated to the Quaker Tapestry. They relate to the social history contained in the panels and the creation of the tapestry and include clothing and photographs. Furthermore, the centre runs embroidery workshops throughout the year that are ideal for both those that are beginners and those that are more experienced in the craft.

Useful Information

• The Museum is a few minutes from Kendal’s main car parks, bus and train station.
• There is a shop selling a range of gifts, including kits for crewel embroidery.
• The exhibition centre is fully accessible for wheelchair users and a mobility scooter is available to borrow if required. There is a very small car park attached to the building (additional car parking is available in the town centre) and a space can be reserved if needed.
• The Quaker Tapestry Museum is an accredited Arts Council museum, a VisitEngland Hidden Gem and a registered charity.

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