Bradford Cathedral’s Historic Altar Frontal Featured on Antiques Roadshow

World War One textile gains national attention on BBC1

On Sunday 9 November, a significant piece from Bradford Cathedral’s collection was showcased on BBC1’s Antiques Roadshow. The episode, available on BBC iPlayer, featured the cathedral’s Director of Education and Visitors, Maggie Myers, discussing the World War One “Khaki” Altar Frontal with an antiques expert.

Background of the Khaki Altar Frontal

The altar frontal, also known as the “Khaki Altar Cloth,” was designed by Louisa Pesel (1870–1947), a Bradford-born embroiderer recognised for her national and international contributions to embroidery. Pesel was notable for pioneering the use of embroidery as occupational therapy for soldiers suffering from shell shock during the First World War.

This particular textile was created in the autumn of 1918 for the chapel at Abram Peel Hospital in Bradford, which specialised in treating soldiers with shell shock and neurasthenia. The soldiers worked under Pesel’s supervision at the Khaki Handicrafts Club in Forster Square, producing the altar frontal in cross stitch on linen according to her design.

The floral pattern on the frontal draws inspiration from Pesel’s time in Greece and her study of Greek island motifs, reflecting the natural colours and flowers of the region.

History and Recent Display

• After Abram Peel Hospital closed, the altar frontal was donated to Bradford Cathedral in 1920.
• It was used for many years in the Cathedral’s Bolling Chapel.
• For approximately the last eight years, the textile has been preserved in a frame in a part of the Cathedral not usually accessible to the public.
• In 2020, it was loaned to Two Temple Place in London for the “Unbound: Visionary Women Collecting Textiles” exhibition.
• The Antiques Roadshow filming marked the first time since 1920 that the frontal was displayed outside the Cathedral, appearing at Cartwright Hall in Bradford.

Comments from Bradford Cathedral

Maggie Myers commented on the significance of the piece and its recent exposure: “The ‘Khaki Altar Frontal’ is a delicate and important textile that we have been preserving carefully. Its display at Cartwright Hall allowed many to appreciate the richness of its colours and the intricacy of the embroidery in natural daylight, which is quite different from seeing it indoors.”

She also noted the Cathedral’s efforts to make such textiles more accessible through guided tours, which provide opportunities for the public to learn about and appreciate the Cathedral’s collection of ecclesiastical textiles.

Opportunities to View the Textile

Those interested in seeing the Khaki Altar Frontal and learning more about its history can join future textiles tours organised by Bradford Cathedral. The first two tours are scheduled for Saturday 24 January 2026.

Booking and further details are available via Eventbrite.