This important embroidered motif was originally attached to curtain pelmets (or lambrequins) made for the Red Drawing Room and Saloon at Chirk Castle, near Ruabon, North Wales. The house was decorated by A.W.N. Pugin for Colonel Robert Myddelton Biddulph from 1845 and the furnishings were, almost certainly, supplied by J.G. Crace of Wigmore Street, London.

This item is one of two examples acquired by the Museum (see T.267:2-2004), both are rare and important being from a small group of surviving embroidered decorations from an important Pugin interior decorative scheme. Few of Pugin's domestic textile designs have survived . No other domestic embroideries are known apart from the group sold by Christie's from Chirk Castle, of which this is one.

Pugin's curtain designs for this scheme correspond to his pattern for 'Ancient Curtain Hangings' illustrated in his 'True Principles of Pointed or Christian Architecture' (1841). The roundels were sold attached to curtains and pelmets. These were removed by Michael Whitway who purchased them at the sale, believing the curtains were replacements.

The motif is also important in providing additional technical information on mid nineteenth century professional embroidery, especially that completed for particular household furnishers. Pugin's embroidered designs for church vestments are well known and the Museum has an important range of the vestments made for his own church in Ramsgate. In this case the work was produced for the Crace firm.