The history and heritage behind some of today's finest wool carpets

As each rug was finished, church bells would ring, signaling for the local people to line the streets. They came from miles around to watch as each new axminister carpet was paraded through the streets carried by its weavers and then blessed in the church before going to its new home.

Axminster, the name historically connected with high-quality carpet manufacturing, is derived from a small town set in the heart of the beautiful rolling Devon landscape in the United-Kingdom, and this year the town and the well-known carpet manufacturer Axminster Carpets Ltd. celebrated the 250th anniversary of axminster weaving by re-enacting the scene.

The first axminster carpet was made by Thomas Whitty in 1755 on a loom which laboriously required each and every tuft to be inserted by hand.

The entrepreneurial weaver had been inspired by the exotic imported Turkish carpets to create his original axminster carpet at a time when other types of carpeting were made in strips and with fewer colors. Whitty’s carpets were seen as a novelty because they were seamless and had intricate patterns and rich colors.

But he attracted the attention of Lord and Lady Shaftesbury, who gave him introductions to the English aristocracy. The highlight of his working life was a visit by King George III and Queen Charlotte, who visited his ‘manufactory’ in 1789 and whose patronage led to more prestigious orders.

Whitty went on to see his carpets grace most of the grand houses in England and Scotland. Today, they fetch huge prices at auction. Many of them are still in daily use and much in vogue among interior designers and their clients, particularly in America.

Whitty died, and the business eventually was dissolved. A hundred years elapsed before Harry Dutfield established the now world- renown Axminster Carpets Ltd., bringing axminster carpet-making back to its roots.

This year the company commemorated the wonderful textile heritage that this small town enjoys by designing a rug in the style of Thomas Whitty, and on Mid-summers Day re-enacted the historical pageant and ceremony devised to celebrate the completion of the rugs in Whitty’s day.

The 2005 version of this ceremony attracted huge crowds, too. "It was a huge success; the people of Axminster are immensely proud of the town’s history and the ongoing international reputation of Axminster Carpets, so the whole community was involved," said Simon Dutfield, managing director and son of the late founder.

In total, four of the commemorative ‘Whitty’ rugs were manufactured on a computerized Jacquard loom in colors which were historically researched and accurate to the period but also reflective of the modern audience. One of these rugs was a gift to His Royal Highness The Prince of Wales; another went to a local museum.

Today, Axminster is internationally regarded and continues to produce fine carpets coupled with contemporary and traditional designs.

British Wool, of course, is the main ingredient, as it is has a natural resilience to footfall with a springy, bounce-back quality that is ideal for maintaining the look of a carpet, which gets tough punishment on the floor.

Today's Axminster Ltd. carpets are made using cutting-edge technology on a foundation of historical skill and expertise. "Our aim is to give the consumer the very best look and the very best finish for the floor. In that, very little has changed over the years," Philip Byrne, CEO of Axminster in the USA, told FABULOUS FLOORS.