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On the wall of the Museum in Market Place, hangs the huge thirteen feet high by eighteen feet wide, Sheldon Tapestry Map of Warwickshire, woven in the South Warwickshire hamlet of Barcheston.
The original village was de-populated by William Willington, after his purchase of the Manor in 1507. William Sheldon of Beoly, married Mary one of his daughters, and upon the death of her father, Sheldon inherited the property through his wife. He went on to purchase the Manor at Weston, in Long Compton, and obtained permission from Henry VIII, to "impark three-hundred acres of land, meadow, pasture, and wood, to be called Weston Park for ever."
Sheldon sent Richard Hickes of Barcheston to the Low Countries, to study the craft of tapestry weaving. Upon his return, accompanied by Flemish weavers, looms were erected at Barcheston, where William Sheldon had housed him, and at Weston. Hickes, together with his son Francis, commenced the manufacture of tapestries, mainly to decorate Weston Hall, and other of Sheldon's houses. The series of tapestry maps, were destined for the great dining room at Weston, where they would cover three walls.
Two series of tapestry maps were produced, each comprising, Gloucestershire, Oxfordshire with Berkshire, Worcestershire, and Warwickshire. Of the first series, the Warwickshire map is lost, and only fragments remain of the other three. The second series, although identical in the mapped areas, have a woven picture frame type border, unlike the mixture of floral, architectural, and mythological emblems that surrounded the original.
The existing Warwickshire map has the date 1588 woven into it, the fact that this was the date of the original one, suggests that it was copied from the original, possibly to replace the worn or damaged one; or Ralph Sheldon may have required fresh ones, to decorate his fine new Mansion, built at Weston following the death of his father.
The Warwickshire Tapestry Map carries the following inscription:
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" Warwickshire, so named as well of the Saxons as of us at this daye; it is divided into two parts by the river Avone running though the midest. The one is called Feldon, the other Woodland. The most memorable towns in the Feldons are Lemington, taking the name of the river Leame, where a salt well springeth. Ichinton and Harbury, betwene which two townes Fermandus the son of King Offa was slayn - a man of singular vertue; and buried in his father's palace, called Ofchurch. The Woodland being the north part, and the greater, was by auncient name called Arden, which signifieth a wood. In the middle of this region standeth Coventre, so called of the Covente of Monks; a citie in times past populus and riche by the trade of clothing and making of cappes. Near Coventre on the east part is Calledon the auncient seat of the Lord Segrave from whom it descended to the Barons of Barkley by the Mowbraies Duke of Norfolk. Westward from Coventre standeth the castle of Kenilworth compassed about with a great pool, firste builded by Geoffrey Clinton, Chamberlayne to King Henre the first. About V miles from thence standeth Warwicke called by the Brittaines Caergaurvic which signifieth a place of defence, whear is a castle of great force builded by the Romanes. William the Conqueror ordayned XII burgesses in Warwicke to attende on him in his warres. Near unto Warwick is Guy's Cliffe a place of wonderful pleasure, whear Guye of Warwick builded a chappel, and was there buried." |
Having fallen into disuse, Weston Hall was demolished, and during the auction of effects in 1781, the tapestry maps were purchased by Horace Walpole, for the bargain price of thirty guineas. He gave these to his friend Lord Harcourt, who was so pleased with the gift, that he had a 'Tapestry Room' built onto his house, in which to display them. Following his death, they passed to his cousin Edward Vernon, Archbishop of York. In 1827 he presented them to the Yorkshire Philosophical Society, and they were placed in the York Museum. In 1914 they were loaned to the Victoria and Albert Museum for an exhibition, which brought together a great many of the Sheldon tapestries.
The tapestry maps were sold at auction by Southerby's. Money for the Warwickshire map, was given on loan by a private individual, to stop it going out of the Country. Later the Courtaulds Textile Company, provided the funds, and gave the tapestry to the County of Warwickshire.
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