Powerful textile exhibition set to inspire at Lichfield Cathedral

The history of life in the Second World War is set to be displayed in a unique and evocative way at an historic cathedral.

Lichfield Cathedral has announced that The Longest Yarn 2: Britain at War will be on display across May, bringing one of the UK’s most moving community-crafted textile installations to the heart of the city.

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Created by makers across the world, the 80‑metre hand‑crafted artwork explores life in Britain from September 3, 1939 to VE Day on May 8, 1945, capturing the everyday experiences, challenges and resilience of people on the Home Front.

Featuring knitted and crocheted scenes, ranging from rationing and evacuation to the Blitz, wartime headlines and the jubilation of peace, the installation offers a rich, tactile journey through Britain’s social history during the Second World War.

The exhibition also includes The Longest Yarn’s life-sized “Army of Duty Calls” figures, honouring those who served both at home and on the front line.

Lichfield Cathedral is one of the national tour destinations for the acclaimed work, which follows the success of The Longest Yarn’s debut project The Longest Day, created to mark the 80th anniversary of D‑Day and viewed by more than 250,000 visitors across the UK, Ireland, and the United States.

Philippa Hubbard, Public Programme Coordinator at Lichfield Cathedral said: “We are honoured to host The Longest Yarn 2: Britain at War and to welcome such a significant national artwork into our Cathedral.

“The exhibition brings history to life in a way that is both moving and accessible, demonstrating the power of creativity and community in telling shared stories.”

Founder Tansy Forster explained the background to The Longest Yarn 2: “This exhibition builds on the success of our first one, which focussed on D-Day.

“Given the response from the public we couldn’t wait to create a second exhibition, so this time we’re delighted to tell the story of "Britain at War", which depicts Britain during wartime, and features memories and stories gathered by our volunteer knitters.

“We’re very much looking forward to coming to Lichfield Cathedral, which we’re sure will be one of the highlights of the tour."

The Longest Yarn 2: Britain at War will be available to explore during Cathedral opening hours from May 1 to 31. Entry is free, with donations welcome.