William Morris came to the town in 1873 to study dyeing and printing and stayed with Sir Thomas Wardle and his wife Lady Elizabeth. He returned several times, and in 1879 Lady Elizabeth Wardle set up the Leek School of Embroidery. Inside the church were many fine examples of the ecclesiastical embroidery created by this talented group, using the honeysuckle, pomegranates and sunflowers that reflected Morris designs.