Stroudwater Textile Trust

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Stroudwater Textile Trust

Promoting a lively textile culture where the heritage of the past meets the creativity of the present Come and visit us.

Stroudwater Textile Trust tells the story of the Gloucestershire woollen industry. We restore and demonstrate historical textile machinery at two sites, Dunkirk Mill Centre and Gigg Mill, Nailsworth. We also have a wide range of other activities: mounting exhibitions, arranging guided walks, producing publications and running an extensive educational programme for both schools and adults. Find out

more about this fascinating industry’s past and how it is reinventing itself in the present.

- See historic machinery powered by an immense water wheel

- Discover what a teazle raising gig is and see one of the last remaining examples at work

- Find out how a machine designed to trim cloth inspired the invention of the first lawn mower

- Watch weaving demonstrations on handlooms and a power loom

- Hear how Stroud scarlet cloth provided the uniform of the British Army and how cloth made in Stroud still covers snooker and pool tables around the world

- Take a walk round these beautiful Cotswold valleys and see just a few of the hundred and more mills that were once hard at work in the area round Stroud

15/06/2026

Four places still available for our walk on Sunday 21 June exploring the industrial heritage of Eastington with Steve Mills of the Gloucestershire Society of Industrial Archaeology. The Eastington coal wharf on the Stroudwater Canal, pictured here in around 1900, will be one of our stopping places. Meet at 09.45 for a 10.00 start at Pike Lock; more details and booking at www.stroudtextiletrust.org.uk/stt-events/.

17/04/2026

Colourful pictures created by participants in our recent felting workshop with . Sorry you missed it! STT's next event, in collaboration with Lewis & Wood, is fully booked, but there are still places available on our guided textile-related walks around Painswick (May) and Eastington (June), and a crewelwork workshop with Kim Hardie (chair of the Goldwork Guild Gloucestershire, also in June). For details and booking information visit www.stroudtextiletrust.org.uk/stt-events.

26/03/2026

Only a couple more days before our felting workshop with this Saturday in Nailsworth. Set aside the morning to enjoy the magical process of felting, and let your imagination run riot with gorgeous colours as you create your own personal felted picture. Book at

20/03/2026

BOOK NOW to create your personally designed vibrant tactile picture in layered felt with our expert Bailey Curtis (image here for illustration only). Next Saturday, 28th March, 10.00–12.00 at Christ Church Rooms, Nailsworth. All-inclusive fee £30; more details at www.stroudtextiletrust.org/stt-events.

11/03/2026

This gorgeous tactile lamb ('Finn Sheep') was the end product of our amigurumi workshop last month, learning this particular crocheting technique under the guidance of Christina at her lovely Stroudshop, In Stitches in Westward Road. Not all the participants managed to complete their sheep, but all went away at the end of the afternoon with the skills to finish what they had started. The shop itself is well worth a visit for all wool and haberdashery stuff.
STT's next workshop is learning how to create a picture from felt, with expert help from Bailey Curtis; Saturday 28th March in Nailsworth. Details and booking here: https://www.stroudtextiletrust.org.uk/stt-events/

21/02/2026

For a family show with a (fictitious) local theme try this year’s Box Players’ pantomime Jack & the Magic Apple set against a background of the industrialisation of the local wool trade. Go along to Box Village Hall to cheer on the goodies and cry ‘boo’ to the baddies, with magic, romance, highwaymen and clowning along the way.

Evening shows (19.30) on 19th, 20th and 21st March, with a matinee performance (14.30) on Saturday 21st. Tickets £10 (children £5) from Jane Storey (07855 188155 or [email protected]).

12/02/2026

Artist and weaver Sally Hampson will soon be moving her weaving workshops from Stroud to London but still has a couple of places available for her 2-day workshop 26/27 February at the Yard Gallery, Witheys Yard off Stroud High Street. Beginners and those with some experience can learn the basics: twill, herringbone and hopsack. We are sorry to see Sally go, so don’t miss this opportunity to learn with her in this final workshop. Details here: https://www.sallyhampson.com/weaving-workshop.

26/01/2026

Two new workshops now open for booking. (1) Saturday 28 March: a Felted Appliqué Workshop with in Nailsworth (10.00–12.00; £30 inc. all materials and mid-morning refreshments). (2) Friday 17 April: a day in Woodchester for Stitching Spring Flowers with Alexandra Hucks (10.00–16.00; £72 inc. all materials, tea, coffee, etc and a light lunch; discount for STT Members). Full details on our website: www.stroudtextiletrust.org.uk/stt-events.

24/01/2026

Here's a shout-out for Stroud’s Just SUST Festival, Brimscombe Mill, 11.00–23.00 on 28 February. Whole-day drop-in event focusing on sustainability: browse, mend, weave, spin, learn and be inspired to re-use and re-purpose clothes etc. instead of throwing them away. Pay-as-you-can food from The Long Table 17.00–20.00. Evening (paid) events are ticketed: visit https://sites.google.com/view/justsustfestival/

21/01/2026

A selection of images from this morning’s ‘Introduction to weaving’ with (thanks, Rebecca!). Participants already hooked and asking when they can move on to the next stage. Here are pictures of paper weaving, back-strap weaving, a proper loom in demo mode and some inspirational weave samples. An excellent morning at France Lynch Church Rooms.

Address

Stroud
Stroud
GLOS

Website

https://www.stroudtextiletrust.org.uk/events

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