The Longest Yarn – Peterborough Cathedral

Peterborough Cathedral is getting ready to host The Longest Yarn – a momentous knitted tribute to the D-D landings.

The Longest Yarn at Peterborough Cathedral, March 4 – 1 April

The Longest Yarn is an 80m 3D depiction of events of 6th June 1944 in wool art.

With 80 displays, each measuring one metre in length, the exhibition depicts scenes of the world’s largest amphibious invasion from landing crafts and soldiers to beaches and sea waves.

The installation was first on display in Carentan, France last May, before it went on display in Southwell Minster where thousands of visitors queued for hours just to see this very special artwork.

Peterborough Cathedral’s Head of Operations, Maria Elsey who is coordinating the exhibition at Peterborough Cathedral, said:

“We are delighted to host The Longest Yarn at the Cathedral. It’s a fascinating blend of artistry and history that will inspire and educate all who come to see it. We hope many visitors will take this opportunity to experience the exhibition in the beautiful and reflective setting of the Cathedral.

“The Longest Yarn is more than an exhibition—it’s a tribute to the creativity of the crafting community and a powerful reminder of the courage of those who served during World War II.

“It invites visitors of all ages to reflect on this pivotal historical event while appreciating the dedication and artistry of the contributors who brought it to life.

Created with guidance from professional historians to be accurate, each scene has been selected by the creator to depict the story of this momentous day in history and has involved over 1,000 knitters from across the world, including the UK, USA, Australia, New Zealand, Canada, and France.

Some of the scenes depict actual WW2 veterans that were in the theatre of war in Normandy on 6th June plus the lesser-known events in local towns and villages in Normandy.

Tansy Foster came up with the idea and said:

“One of my favourite scenes is the depiction of the famous moment Lord Lovat and Piper Bill Millin crossed Pegasus Bridge, and another is when he plays his pipes on Sword Beach. 

“Piper Millin’s son donated his father’s favourite jumper to us which we unravelled (frogged) and used the wool to knit the figures of Piper Bill – it’s given a real poignancy to these scenes.

The Longest Yarn goes on display in the cathedral from March 4 – 1 April. Entry is by donation, with a suggested amount of £2.50 per person.

Timed tickets can be pre-booked online here.