Archenfield (Old English: Ircingafeld) is the historic English name for an area of southern and western Herefordshire in England. Since the Anglo-Saxons took over the region in the 8th century, it has stretched between the River Monnow and River Wye, but it derives from the once much larger Welsh kingdom of Ergyng.

The name Archenfield is derived from the older and larger Welsh kingdom of Ergyng (or Ercic), which in turn is believed to derive from the Roman town of Ariconium at Weston under Penyard. After the withdrawal of the Roman legions from Britain in 410 AD, new smaller political entities took the place of the centralised structure. From about 555 AD, the area was ruled by King Peibio and his descendants until, in the middle of the 7th century, Onbraust of Ergyng married Meurig of Gwent and the two neighbouring kingdoms were combined. The area was converted to Christianity in the 6th century by Saint Dubricius (known in Welsh as Dyfrig). Ergyng eventually became a mere cantref, the Welsh equivalent of a hundred.

Christopher Dresser (Glasgow, 4 July 1834 – Mulhouse, 24 November 1904) was a Scottish designer and design theorist, now widely known as one of the first and most important, independent, designers and was a pivotal figure in the Aesthetic Movement, and a major contributor to the allied Anglo-Japanese branch of the Movement; both originated in England and had long lasting international influence.

Dresser was born in Glasgow, Scotland. At age 13, he began attending the Government School of Design, Somerset House. He received training in design and took botany as his specialization. He lectured on the new subject of Art Botany to complete his studies before his appointment in 1855 as Professor of Artistic Botany in the Department of Science and Art, South Kensington He wrote a series of articles that appeared in the Art Journal in 1857, "Botany as Adapted to the Arts and Art Manufactures." In 1858 he sold his first designs.

He was awarded a doctorate in absentia from the University of Jena, Germany in 1859 for his writings.