In
2011 the group was approached by Jonathan Sargant, Community Learning
Officer for the National Trust at Knole, with the idea of creating a
wall hanging depicting the history of Knole from the 15th
through to the 21st century, to hang over the fireplace in
the education room. The hanging is just under 3 metres in length
and a little under a metre in depth.
A design plan was agreed and
the date set for completion and presentation to Knole was 16 February
2013, the 21st birthday of the group.
The
members donated all the materials, time, and their many skills to
create the scenes for each century.
The
upper background 'sky' and the 'land' mid background sections of the
hanging are quilted patchwork, the patterns based on the plaster work
ceilings at Knole, thus giving meaning to the designs underpinning
the whole hanging.
The
lower back ground section is also quilted patchwork, its
pattern and colours are based on the stained glass window in the Lobby
between the Ballroom and the Brown Gallery.
A
hand stitched tapestry of Knole House and Tower forms the centre of
the hanging, each
section being worked separately by eleven members of the group.
The
hanging is divided into seven vertical sections, one for each
century. The ‘sky’ section contains portraits of some of the
important figures in history connected to Knole. They are printed onto fabric
and enhanced with stitching and embellishments. The scenes created in
the ‘land’ sections depict events of importance from that
century.
The 20th Century Portrait is Vita Sackville-West who lived at Knole as a child
The
15th Century Portrait is of
Thomas Bourchier, Archbishop of Canterbury, purchased Knole
for £266 for use as an Archbishop’s Palace. He died at Knole in
1486. Having extended the buildings, he bequeathed Knole to the See
of Canterbury.
The
scene depicts the Battle of Solefields, Sevenoaks on 4 July 1450.
When Jack Cade led a rebellion against the payment of tax at
Solefields. James Fiennes, Lord Say and Sele and Lord Treasurer lived
at Knole. Henry VI put Lord Say and Sele in the Tower, for his own
protection, but the rebels dragged Lord Say and Sele from the Tower,
held a mock trial, beheaded him, putting his head on a pole. The
figures are knitted and stitched, the rebel weapons whittled.
James
Fiennes son, William Fiennes, sold Knole to Thomas Bouchier.
The
16th Century portraits
are Henry VIII and Elizabeth I
Thomas
Cranmer was ‘forced voluntarily’ to give Knole to Henry VIII.
Henry liked Knole as ‘it stood on wholesome ground’ using the
park for hunting. Elizabeth I visited
Knole then granted it to Robert Dudley, Earl of Leicester, in 1561.
He gave it back to her in 1566.
The
scene depicts a Tudor hunting scene with Henry VIII with other Tudor
hunts people, dogs and a dead deer. The scene is based on paintings
of that period.
The
dogs are needle felted, machine embroidered, the deer and horse are
hand stitched.
The
17th Century portraits
are Thomas Sackville, 1st Earl of Dorset, and
Charles, 6th Earl of Dorset
The
left hand section of thee scene depicts Thomas Sackville, giving
instructions to a workman, a stone layer waiting, on the top of a
wall, for more stone to be brought in a wheelbarrow. Having acquired
the lease to Knole he had began an extensive building programme in
1603.
The
right hand section of the scene depicts cast off furniture, acquired
by Charles, 6th Earl of Dorset, from various royal
residencies, being wheeled in a barrow and carried into Knole. The
furniture is stamped on the underside with the initials of the royal
residence. The wheel barrows are wood/matchstick modeled, the wall
and furniture, transfer printed fabric.
The
18th Century Portraits are Charles, 2nd
Duke, and John Frederick, 3rd Duke of Dorset.
The
scene depicts cricketers with curved cricket bats, the style then,
and two cricket stumps, not three as now. Charles and John Frederick
who were both keen cricketers. The 3rd Duke donated The
Vine cricket ground to Sevenoaks.
The
19th Century portrait is of
Mortimer, 1st Lord Sackville
The
scene depicts the residents of Sevenoaks, rioting against the closure
of Knole, which had been open to the public, the first guide books
being published at this time. Mortimer didn't like day trippers using
the park, so closed it to the public, putting posts across the
entrance. On June 18th 1884 the rioters wielding spades
dug up the posts, being defended by Lord Sackville and his staff, and
regained access to the park.
The 20th Century Portrait is Vita Sackville-West who lived at Knole as a child
Her
friend, Virginia Woolf wrote Orlando based on Knole.
In 1946 Knole was bequeathed to the National Trust
In the 1987 Great Storm 70% of the trees in the park were lost.
The scene depicts the
WW2 home guard holding manoeuvres in the park.
The
21st
Century Portrait is of visitors to Knole
The
scene depicts the many, many tourists from across the world who visit
Knole, and some of their activities, dog walking, playing.
The
Trees in the background, the people and their clothes are hand and
machine stitched, knitted and crocheted.
The hanging is surrounded by a border of knitted, crochet, hand stitched, felted, tatted, machine stitched, lace, and braided leaves, and seeds, depicting the importance of the park and the trees to Knole. The border is also enhanced with cross stitched butterflies, which are quite realistic. The
Century C and numbers are cross stitched, the captions for each scene
are machine embroidered. The
bottom border is woven with the inscription – ‘Designed and
created by the members and friends of the Textile Group Sevenoaks’
