Earlier Work of Laura Kent Textiles

Laura Kent | Level Four and Five Textiles in Practice | Manchester School of Art

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Monday, 30 December 2013

The Stafford Knot

Easing my way back into my art work after Christmas festivities, I have began by looking closer to home with my research. Ironically, I didn't have to look far, with The Stafford Knot being the symbol for my home county, Staffordshire. 


Researching the symbolism behind the knot, it appears that there are multiple supposed reasonings behind the emblem- some believe that it was first found on the shield of the Stafford family in 1583, others believe it was found on the family seal of the Lady of Wake in 1443, etc etc...

One of the most popular stories originates from the sentencing of three criminals to death, by a hanging in Stafford. When the executioner arrived to commit the hanging, he realised that he only had one piece of rope...problem. It would be unfair to give precedence to only one of the condemned. Therefore he tied his single rope into three loops and hung all three of the criminals at the same time.

I had never known the story behind the knotted symbol, so incorporating my heritage into my work has bought a new interest to my project.