Rose Farrow's Crook

If the word ‘shepherdess’ calls to mind the image of nursery-rhyme character ‘Little Bow Peep’, the historic moorland figure of Rose Farrow will come as a fabulous surprise. This beautiful shepherdess crook gives us a glimpse into the life of a truly inspiring woman!

We’ve got lots of picture of Rose on horseback in our collection at Ryedale Folk Museum. Whatever the weather, Rose would brave the tough terrain, working well into her old age, with her faithful dog.

Heft farming isn’t for the faint hearted. Nowadays most farmers prefer their flocks safely penned into fields, not left to graze across thousands of acres. This traditional method was only possible because of the skill of farmers, shepherds and shepherdesses across the centuries. At lambing time, there are local stories of Rose riding out bareback, not even stopping to saddle up in her hurry to reach her beloved Blackface sheep.

The crook is beautifully crafted from hazel wood with a horn handle and ornate carved thistle design. This decorative item would make a very fitting adoption for anyone championing extraordinary women’s stories!