The Worsted Church building dates to 1839. Services were no longer being held there by 1870, when Monmouth moved in after the death of her father and husband. She began to decorate the interior of the church with her own artwork, and even performed sermons on Sundays for the local villagers. An 1879 article from the New York Times describes the interior as “a perfect mosaic of needlework of vines, flowers, and decorations, composed of worsted in all colors and designs.” Monmouth had left the church by 1879, retiring to a farm and writing a memoir entitled Living on Half a Dime a Day. Fortunately, the textiles she made were saved from the 1958 fire that destroyed the Worsted Church building, and the substantial holdings of the New Hampshire Historical Society are now being cataloged. |
The valance has a noticeable pattern of discoloration and creasing as a result of inappropriate storage and folding. It has also suffered from water damage, which compromised the adhesive at the top right corner. Several edges of the glued paper cutouts were also lifting. After arrival at MTS, the valance was surface cleaned thoroughly with a micro-vacuum in order to reduce dust and particulates. Caked-on deposits resembling mud were removed mechanically using a micro-spatula and a toothbrush. |