This textile hanging in the Washburn Heritage Centre commemorates the people of the Fewston Assemblage and is on permanent display in the Heritage Centre tearoom.There are 154 sewn squares, one for each person in the Assemblage. The project was masterminded by Maureen Fackrell from a suggestion by Sally Robinson.
Each square shows the grave number allocated to a skeleton at the exhumation, together with a name where known. There is also a decorative motif, chosen by the maker of each piece to reflect either something appropriate to the named individual, or something of local interest. The Fewston Assemblage comprises the 154 skeletons that were exhumed prior to the building of the Washburn Heritage Centre. Twenty-two of the burials were identifiable from grave markers or coffin plates, and the others are unidentified.
Dr Anwen Caffell of Durham University provided information from her research, detailing the age and sex of each member of the Assemblage. Maureen Fackrell, who led the textile project, devised a colour scheme to graphically illustrate Dr Caffell’s information as shown below:
The Washburn Stitchers, who made the hanging, is a team of twenty volunteers. The project started in the autumn of 2016 and the completed hanging was installed in Washburn Heritage Centre on 7th March 2017.
The team: Sally Robinson, Elaine Stead, Glenda Oldroyd, Hazel Pullan, Henrietta Ryott, Jane Austick, Johanne Boyle, Jose Rhodes, Rosemary Murgatroyd, Liz Carnell, Lyn Cadmore, Margaret Hartley, Di Oldam, Rebecca Campbell, Kath Murrie, Robert Appleyard, Anwen Caffell, Anna Boyle, Samantha McCaughan. Design by Maureen and Ken Fackrell.
Maureen said: “I have been involved with the research for the Fewston Assemblage Project for the past two years. My textile work is about family and memory, and so the opportunity to make this commemorative piece was very satisfying. The team of Washburn Stitchers has thoroughly enjoyed the project, and has made a beautiful tribute to the Assemblage”.
Textile artist Maureen Fackrell of Knaresborough, Washburn Stitcher Liz Carnell of Harrogate and project leader Sally Robinson of Fewston, with the Fewston Assemblage Project panel
