Knitted Bible scenes go on display in Kent church

28 July 2025

Jo BurnBBC News, Sturry

News image — Adam and Eve in the Garden of Eden is one of the scenes depicted

Jo Burn/BBC A knitted scene from the Bible depicting Adam and Eve in the Garden of Eden. — Adam and Eve in the Garden of Eden is one of the scenes depicted

A knitted Bible depicting 36 stories from the Old and New Testament has gone on display at a church in Kent.

The tableaux of hand crafted knitted figures including the lost sheep, and Jonah being eaten by the whale were created by the congregation of St George`s Church in Hartlepool, Teesside, in 2008 and are now loaned out to other parishes.

They have now arrived at St Nicolas' Church in Sturry near Canterbury.

The tableaux are on display at the church daily from noon until 16:00 BST until 3 August.

Jo Burn/BBC Jane Freeman, wearing a black and white striped top, stands by a church font and holds a knitted biblical figure of a man. Three other figures are stood on a table in front of them, one with a white dove depicted on its head. — Church warden Jane Freeman had the idea of bringing the knitted Bible to the church

Each multi-character scene depicts one story and has an explanation board and a prayer attached.

Church warden Jane Freeman said: "When I brought this proposal to the church council thinking that, no, they won't want this because it's a little strange, much to my surprise they said they would go with it."

Ms Freeman has arranged them to fit in with the architecture of the church.

"We have the south aisle with the New Testament stories and the north aisle with the Old Testament and the chancel area with Jesus` birth, death and resurrection, and then John the Baptist by the font."

Jo Burn/BBC Thirteen knitted figures depicting Jesus and the Disciples at the Last Supper are laid out under the full size altar of the church. — A knitted depiction of the Last Supper

Rev Lucy Sullivan, associate chaplain at King's School in Canterbury, delivered Sunday's service from behind a tiny knitted Last Supper.

She said: "I hope the congregation see that the Gospel and the words of Scripture are alive and living today and I know that organisers are hoping to welcome lots of new visitors this week."

Jo Burn/BBC A knitted depiction of dozens of sheep being lead to safety by a shepherd. — The parable of the Lost Sheep required more wool than most of the creations

Martin Pilgrim, who helped bring the knitted Bible to Kent, said: "I was expecting it to be pages of script knitted and crocheted and then discovered it was this wonderful exhibition of tableaux.

"I was bowled over by the care and love that's gone into making it and the way is depicts stories and scenes that people can relate to."

Follow BBC Kent on Facebook, on X, and on Instagram. Send your story ideas to southeasttoday@bbc.co.uk or WhatsApp us on 08081 002250.