PROVENANCE
A group of 10 Hall Benches of identical design, executed in oak, were supplied to Cropley Ashley Cooper, 6th Earl of Shaftesbury (1768-1851) St Giles House, Wimborne, St Giles, Dorset.
The 7th Earl records in his ‘Collected Traditions of the Mansion & estate’ of 1855, states that these stools were carved by Richard Penn Esqre for the 6th Earl of Shaftesbury’
Richard Penn (1784-1863), had a rather interesting family history as he was the Great grandson of William Penn, the founder of the then province of Pennsylvania. 
Further research into achival photographs has led to the discovering of a very similar stool, if not the pair to the present example, photographed in the entarance hall. Benches and stools of this design where still amongst the house's furnishing as recently as 2012.