Antique textiles: History of English carpets

The history of English carpets is surely not as rich and old as the Asian, but you can still find some of the facts fascinating. English rugs were not produced until the late 16th century and early 17th century. Main centers for production were located in Axminster, Wilton, and Kidderminster. Distinctive patterns on these antique rugs include deep golden coloration and asymmetrical designs. This was the first place to specialize in new innovative forms of weaving, so people started to call it the carpet capital of Britain. The first steam powered carpet mill was called Stourvale Mill and was build in the early 1850s by Henry Woodward. He and Benjamin Grosvenor, who joined later, operated the mill for a first time. The firm called Grosvenor Wilton Company Ltd. is still a major weaver of Brussels and Wilton carpers with 200 years in business and over 10 000 patents.

But let's take a closer look on the various carpets, which made this historical company. They are marked as the "Stourvale Mill Collection".