A visit to the archive at Ryedale Folk Museum
As part of my research into local woven or textile objects using sustainable materials, we contacted the Ryedale Folk Museum in nearby Hutton le Hole to view items such as rag rugs, woven baskets and corm dollies in their collection archive. In my work, I often work with archives to undertake historical research into specific objects local to a time or place to get a sense of history related to that specific environment. I am interested in what kind of heritage crafts have been used in the area, which can vary widely due to materials available locally, or specific traditions or needs.ie warmth required for climate.
This was my second visit to Ryedale Folk Museum, as I previously looked round the outdoor museum spaces, including the past exhibition, which included a wide collection of items relating to transactional magic and apotropaic objects used to ward off evil or encourage harvest, such as corn dollies. Within these displays there were many woven objects made using straw in the Yorkshire Spiral technique, by Emma and Sid Beeforth from Westerdale. The Yorkshire Spiral is traditionally a local technique.
Helen Mason, Collections Team Leader at Ryedale generously guided me through a wide variety of fascinating items in their archive beginning with a selection of rag rugs. I particularly liked the collection of geometric type of rag rugs that were crafted by an unknown maker. Helen and I later came across a pattern guidebook for rag rugs that were of a similar style, so perhaps the rag rugger followed a pre created design rather than created their own designs.
The museum archive also contains a beautiful collection of pictorial rugs by Louisa Creed and her partner Lewis Creed, which are magnificent in their use of tone and colour to create drawn scenes and abstract forms. Helen and I also looked through a large selection of rag rugging tools, often made from everyday objects such as doorknobs and pegs. Their archive also held further woven straw items by the Beeforth’s couple and other anonymous makers, all made within the Yorkshire Spiral technique.
I also appreciated discussing local craft practices with museum Director Jennifer Smith, who also visited me during my residency at The Courtroom. It was interesting to learn that despite significant research, Ryedale have not yet found a local Yorkshire craftsperson available to teach corn dolly making, which is an endangered craft. I am keen to find a crafts person who can teach me this skill.
If you know anyone in Yorkshire who makes straw items with the Yorkshire Spiral technique, please contact Jenny Steele jennysteelestudio@gmail.com
More details on visiting Ryedale Folk Museum from March 2025 here https://www.ryedalefolkmuseum.co.uk/
Read more about Louisa & Lewis Creed’s work here https://louisa-creed-ragrugs.co.uk/