IN just three years, a group of women succeeded in getting more than 1,000 years of history sewn up.

The story of Pembridge, which begins with unfortunate King Harold and Domesday and covers major milestones through the ages, including a brush with Katherine of Aragon, Henry VIII’s hapless first queen, has been immortalised in 12 tapestry panels.

After hundreds of hours of work and countless neatly crafted crewel embroidery stitches, the work is nearing completion.

The small team involved in the project is putting the final touches to this masterpiece of local history and community effort, in preparation for a grand unveiling next month.

A special Festival of Flowers and Music in St Mary’s Church at Pembridge from May 22 to May 25 is to provide a showcase for the remarkable Pembridge Tapestries.

On May 22, there will be a festival opening service in church, followed by a Talgarth Male Voice Choir concert, and on May 23, Japanese Taiko Drums will perform with Pembridge School Choir.

A “Spring Serenade” concert on May 24 will feature international conductor Robert Dean, presented by actor Christopher Goode, with soprano Charmian Bedford and Henry Manning, baritone.

During the weekend, there will also be daily organ recitals, music from Knighton Silver Band and “rock with Phil Weaver”.

It has been a real labour of love for the needlewomen who have toiled through 10 centuries’ worth of history.

It all begins with King Harold, who later suffered an arrow in his eye at the Battle of Hastings in 1066.

In happier times, he was recorded in the Domesday Book as “holding Pembridge”.

Katherine of Aragon, who lived with her first husband, Prince Arthur not a million miles away at Ludlow Castle, had significant links with Pembridge too, and her crest – pomegranates and all – is stitched into the tapestry.

The turmoil of the Civil War is recorded in wool, a local link gleaned from the 1645 diary of a trooper in the King’s army, Richard Symonds.

Charter fairs, such as the Cowslip and Woodcock fairs, rooted in medieval history are interwoven into the fabric, and the funding of St Mary’s Church by the powerful Mortimers to “save their immortal souls”. In the 19th century, the first registered herd of Hereford cattle is represented as well as Pembridge’s railway history.

More recent events are recorded too, such as local horseracing ace, Richard Johnson, who won the 2000 Cheltenham Gold Cup.

The idea was born out of plans to develop the St Mary’s Community Heritage Centre and a major reordering of the church. A bold suggestion to illustrate highlights of local history in tapestry form was first mooted by Barbara Atkins and Pembridge churchwarden Gill Smith.

Three members of the village’s active history group – Kate Skelton, Emma Hardy and Lindsy Anderson – used research to develop ideas and Kate, an artist transposed stories into artwork.

Other artists who have worked on the project include Norma Martyn, Laura Rowlett and Haydn Atkins.

Money was given by a village group to buy materials and further grants for wools and linen came from Hereford Partnership Funding.

“The historians unearthed many stories to weave around the subjects, such as ghosts haunting the New Inn,” says Gill.

Barbara ran workshops on stitching techniques and she continues to guide the team. She has produced three tapestries on her own.

Lasting friendships have been made since the project began back in 2011. While much work is done at home, the fortnightly get-togethers provide welcome opportunities to keep up to date.

“We have either marvelled at each other’s work, obtained more supplies, discussed how to overcome problems or just enjoyed each other’s company,” says Gill. “Many new friendships have been formed which have continued outside the group.”

Linda Hill jokes that her first session consisted mainly in trying to thread her needle. “We spend more time unpicking stitches!”

she adds.

Former school caretaker at Pembridge, Linda Jones was alarmed at the task ahead. “We’re going to put on her gravestone, ‘I’m not coming again!’, but she did and she is an excellent stitcher,” says Gill.

Mrs Jones is stitched into the tapestry – seen boarding the train with her late husband at Pembridge bound for their Blackpool honeymoon back in 1953.

Shirley Percy is also a stalwart of the stitchers, who meet at Staunton-on-Arrow village hall. “I only came to open the hall!” she laughs.

But joking aside, the work requires serious skill and patience. Sharron Wiggins, a member of the team who is profoundly deaf, shows a tiny but beautifully crafted view of Pembridge’s old bridge which represents some 36 hours’ application.

Rosemary Mayall has given up extra time to work with children at Pembridge School. Carefully-stitched views of their homes will form part of the permanent exhibition. The group visited famous tapestries. In 2012, they visited Fishguard to see the Last Invasion Tapestry and two years ago they visited Ironbridge to see a portion of the Quaker Tapestry.

“The group has been indebted by the support given by the Quaker Tapestry in Kendal,” says Gill. Due to reorganisation of its display, a range of acrylic display units and boards have been donated to the Pembridge project.

When the final stitch is crafted into Pembridge’s remarkable tapestries, there will undoubtedly be a collective sigh of relief. The achievement will mark another milestone in the long and compelling history of this village.