Landscape and Legend

One of my favourite memories is of sitting on my Grandmother’s window seat, surrounded by her embroidery and learning to stitch. Her example and my Mum’s background as a domestic science teacher meant that I grew up sewing and making my own clothes.

Adult life and a passion for computers intervened and there was less time for embroidery until I had children. After a second career in education I decided to refresh my creativity and follow my early interest in embroidery by studying Design for Embroidery and obtained City and Guilds qualifications at both Certificate and Diploma levels.

Most of my work is inspired by architecture or landscape. The hills, farmland, crags, forest and moorland on the North West outskirts of Sheffield have provided the starting point for embroidery using a variety of textile media, gradually taking a more abstract approach.

The Maiden
Jenny Robson

Last year I discovered that these abstract landscapes could be combined with my interest in Celtic design and so the hunt for a theme began. Living within sight of Wharncliffe Crags, the ‘Wantley Dragon’ was an obvious choice.

The dragon of Wantley made his home near Wharncliffe Chase in the Upper Don Valley on the edge of Sheffield. He lived in a cave in the hillside and drank from a nearby well. He was known for eating people and cattle, tearing up trees and having a nose running with burning snot. He was also partial to eating children for a snack.

The Knight
Jenny Robson

Eventually the locals called upon a knight to deal with the dragon. More lived in More Hall just across the River Don from the dragon’s den in Wharncliffe Crags and was famous in the area for acts like swinging a horse around by its mane. The locals offered all their worldly goods to him in return for slaying the dragon. He refused, saying instead he wanted a sixteen year old girl to prepare him for the fight, dressing him in the morning of the battle.

More went to Sheffield to get his armour covered in steel spikes. With that done, he hid in a well to wait for the dragon. When the dragon appeared, he jumped out of the well and hit it. The battle continued for more than two days and nights with More and the dragon displaying their skill and exchanging comments. Eventually More kicked the dragon's behind (literally) and it fell down dead.

Winter Dragon
Jenny Robson

There is no indication of the colour of the dragon in the story so I was free to experiment. I did not want the traditional ‘St. George and the Dragon’ style but wanted to experiment with Celtic design as it would lend itself to the gold-work techniques that I intended to adapt to give the dragon a hint of glitter. After all, dragons are often associated with golden hoards of treasure.



If you'd like to see Jenny's work at exhibition, it is being displayed at Unravel Crafts in Huddersfield throughout August. Please click here for the website and directions. - Editor