(November 2019) The Sibford Millennium Panels

The Sibford Millennium Panels are now on permanent view in Holy Trinity Church. These Panels, six in all and covering over 100 square feet formed part of the Sibford Millennium celebrations and were a magnificent initiative of Mollie Picken who inspired and directed 67 villagers to produce them in fabric, thread and dye over a period of three years up to the end of the 20th century. Sponsored by the Town Estate Charity they show many of the houses and all the public buildings of Sibford Ferris, Sibford Gower and Burdrop as well as a number of scenes and characters portrayed in the Sibford Millennium Pageant which was enacted for three nights on what is now The Millennium Field.

A further initiative led by Andrew Gordon with art work by Nigel Fletcher and sponsored by Martin Gordon was the full colour production of a booklet showing photographs of the individual tapestries with descriptions and histories of the buildings themselves, as well as a list of the many residents who produced them.

A small number of copies of these remarkable booklets are still available and can be purchased in the Village Shop at a price of £6 each for the shared benefit of Village Hall and Church funds. They contribute a major history of the villages and will be of particular interest to people who have moved into the village in the 2000’s. There is also a copy inside the church for the use of visitors there.