Goldwork

	Anything coloured gold is grist to the mill

One of the great events of British history was the "Field of the Cloth of Gold", when the young Henry VIII crossed over to France and met the equally young Francis II. Each monarch was determined to outdo the other in magnificence and even the tents were made of cloth of gold. It is said that many a nobleman wore his estates on his back during that meeting - a reference to the cost of the clothes they were wearing.

Here is a group of women who carry on the fine tradition of gold work - though as far as I could see, there wasn't a grain of real gold in the place. Despite that, the variety of embroideries, hangings and so on that was produced was truly dazzling.

This is one of our early films and the quality is less than ideal.