One of my heroes! You are right Morris was a great admirer of medieval tradesmen and was well versed in the technologies and skills of those days. I went to school in Bexleyheath where he had a house (the Red House) which is full of textiles and painting - the walls are even gridded with small indentations in the plaster to help the unskilled produce artwork.

Dear Graham

Yes, very much hands on medievalism.

His poetry was good as well:

"..From Robert's throat he loosed the bands
Of silk and mail; with empty hands
Held out, she stood and gazed, and saw
The long bright blade without a flaw
Glide out from Godmar's sheath, his hand
In Robert's hair, she saw him bend
Back Robert's head; she saw him send
The thin steel down; the blow told well,
Right backward the knight Robert fell,
And moaned as dogs do, being half dead,
Unwitting, as I deem: so then
Godmar turn'd grinning to his men,
Who ran, some five or six, and beat
His head to pieces at their feet....."

from Haystacks in the Flood

David

No detail spared!