Sampler 'The Farm Called Arnolds in The Parish of Stapelforth Abby & Lambourn in the County of Essex' of embroidered woollen canvas with coloured silks, Essex, ca. 1790

Sampler of embroidered woollen canvas with green, yellow, pink, blue, brown, cream and black silks and chenille thread in long and short, satin and cross stitches, with French knots and couched work. Embroidered with a map of a farm and entitled 'A map of the farm called Arnolds in the parishes of Stapelforb Abby and Lamboun in the county of Essex being part of the estate of ...... ' and this is followed by the individual fields named and their areas, and then the names are repeated in a table on the right. Picture of a cottage in a medallion above. Dogs, cat and numerous birds, and a floral border down each side, and baskets of flowers in the corners decorate the map.

We do not know who made this elaborate and precise depiction in embroidery of Arnolds Farm. It may have been worked as a sophisticated exercise during a young girl's education, combining needlework skills with a lesson in geography and rural economy.

T.65-1954