EMBROIDERIES dating from the early 18th century will now be looked after by The Rothschild Foundation in Waddesdon Manor.

A set of seven embroidered hangings depicting views of the First and Second Temples in Jerusalem were stopped being exported by the Reviewing Committee on the Export of Works of Art and Objects of Cultural Interest (RCEWA) and administered by Arts Council England, earlier this year.

The Rothschild Foundation raised the necessary funds to keep these items on public display for the people of this country.

While the hangings depict views from the First and Second Temples in Jerusalem in great architectural and decorative detail, the largest hanging includes the Hebrew inscription ‘Eloqeynu’, meaning ‘our God,’ a particularly reverential way of writing the name of God.

This suggests that they were designed for Jewish religious purposes, perhaps to adorn a domestic space set aside for prayer or worship, in the way that other houses might have a private chapel.

It is also possible that they were made for public display in a synagogue, although there is no indication of a donor's or maker’s name.

The hangings will complement the rich collection of textiles at Waddesdon Manor The set of hangings will then be conserved and mounted over the 2013-2014 winter before a special display is created for the 2014 Waddesdon season from March to October.