Last Friday a group of us visited this lovely rather unknown ex-mill in Braintree. I have wanted to see this place for many years but never managed a day when there is a guided tour available. More of a talk than a tour, but after a good talk from one of the curators we are allowed to look round the exhibition. The talk takes you through the Middle Ages to the present day, from a rich wool town through the fabulous silk era, to the demise of the mill in the late twentieth century from Chinese competition. The talk is all the more interesting if you have read Liz Trenow's book The Silk Weavers. Her silk family connections still exist.
The exhibition includes beautiful samples of old and new silk items. Drawers full of more, and apparently thousands of samples in the archive. They change the exhibition every so often. Sadly no photos as these are not allowed in the place. They have been hurt before by plagiarism. The shop had some lovely
things in it, and not expensive either. Some designs have been made into greetings cards, on hand made paper, a snip at ten for five pounds!
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