It started in Jerusalem

In 1983 Pamela Richards spent a year in Jerusalem with her husband Donald. She found that visitors to the Anglican cathedral of St George commonly donated kneelers, following detailed guidance as to size and background colour.

Back at St Leonard's Eynsham

the instructions were adopted but the background colour chosen was blue. The earliest kneeler was based on the pectoral cross, which reappears in several other kneelers around the church. The curate's kneeler shown was worked by Elsie Floyd in memory of her husband.

The first designers and stitchers

were Mrs Anne Chalmers, Miss Molly Cooke, Mrs Gladys Garner, Pamela Richards and Mrs Monica Wood - joined over the years by Phillis Pimm, Elsie Butler, Pat Atkins, Janet Jones, Leslie Gerrans, Mrs Room, Jill Keane, Pat Evans, Eve Hollis, Jean Mittell, Mary Oakley, Ursula Goulding, Mrs Malin, Freda Deeley, Mary Streat and Norah Petts.

The earliest designs

were based mainly on the records of tile patterns from Eynsham Abbey. They can be seen in the altar kneelers and several smaller ones around the church.

Other Abbey connections

include the deer pattern, which is believed to be from the cloak of Richard II, who visited the abbey in 1389.

Several kneelers highlight local organisations

such as Bartholomew School, Beavers, Drop In Club, the Eynsham Society, Girl Guides, History Group, Horticultural Society, Junior History Group, Medical Centre, Eynsham Morris (shown), Red Cross, Royal British Legion, Tuesday Fellowship, Wives Fellowship and Women's Institute.

Others serve as memorials to relatives & friends

Jonathan Weideman died in infancy on Christmas day 1966. His parents came to Eynsham from New Zealand and were here for just a brief time. This kneeler was worked by Pamela Richards, designed by her granddaughter Stephanie, then aged 9.

They include formal & elaborate heraldic designs

Ann Chalmers who was a driving force on the original committee is remembered by the Arms of the Wallers, her maternal family. The motto reads Hic fructus virtutis, meaning, "This is the fruit of valour"

The kneeler with the grapes and key

was designed by Julia Loken and worked by Molly Cooke for the marriage of Susy Atkins and Ian Acheson. Susy is a connoisseur of wine and Ian was at the time a prison governor - though the key is also associated with St Peter and St Leonard is the patron saint of prisoners.

There are flowers for Molly Harris

We all thought the Archer's scripts were based on events in Eynsham at one time and some of us remember her coming into school to talk to the children and holding them spellbound as she talked about the Christmas when her wax-headed doll melted as she sat by the fire.

The latest kneeler

is in memory of Phillis Pimm and was designed and worked by Leslie Gerrans. It represents her involvement with the Bell-Ringers and the Garden Club – among a raft of other groups such as the History Group and Tuesday Fellowship.