The art of high-warp weaving had almost died out in Britain until reintroduced by William Morris. The tapestry being woven here at Merton Abbey by Morris & Co. employee Percy Sheldrick is one of a series of six panels illustrating the legend of the Holy Grail. The original design was drawn by Edward Burne-Jones with the workshop assistants drawing the background detail. The first set of six were produced in 1894 for W.K. D’Arcy, an Australian mining millionaire. Later on further panels were woven for other clients. Between 1929-32 Percy Sheldrick (depicted here), with the help of Sidney Mears, wove The Summons and The Attainment from the Holy Grail series for Sir Henry Beacham of Lympne Castle near Hythe in Kent.
