16: The Home of Carpet Making
Axminster’s tradition of carpet making has taken the name of the town across the world and contributed greatly to local prosperity. The story is one of two key men – Thomas Whitty and Harry Dutfield. A local weaver, Whitty revolutionised British carpet making in 1755 when he wove the first Axminster carpet. From that day forward, the bells of the Minster Church were often rung as each new carpet was paraded through the town. After challenging times, the business closed in 1835.
It was after a 100-year gap in local carpet making that Harry Dutfield launched a renaissance when in 1937 he brought skilled workers with him from Kidderminster and quickly re-established the production of Axminster Carpet in Axminster. With employees rising to 600 by the 1970s, locally made carpets once again covered the floors of the homes of royalty and nobility throughout the world.
Trading became more difficult in the 2000s, with many jobs lost in 2013. While ownership has since passed out of family control, the business continues and is still weaving beautifully designed carpets in Axminster.
Designer: Geoff Hicks
“Axminster Carpets and Axminster have shared a relationship going back many years; indeed carpets and Axminster have been woven together so you cannot separate one from the other. In approaching a banner design I tried to keep to the spirit of the carpet design and colour but in a more simplified form, including elements like flowers and abstract shapes to create a pattern based on early antique carpets. There is also a link to heraldry in the decorative chevron used as the carpet corner to give a more dynamic design.”
Location: Belluno Restaurant, Church Street
Sponsor: Axminster Carpets
More info? You can learn much more about Axminster’s carpet tradition at Axminster Heritage Centre.
Here is a taster: Magic carpets - the Axminster story