Gawthorpe Textiles Collection

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Gawthorpe Textiles Collection

An internationally renowned collection of textiles located in the heart of Pennine Lancashire

One of the finest collections of lace, embroidery and textiles in Europe, Gawthorpe Textiles Collection is comprised of over 30,000 items from all over the world. The Collection was founded by Rachel Kay-Shuttleworth (1886-1967) as a teaching resource to revive traditional craft skills. Now an Accredited museum, the Collection is displayed across five galleries at Gawthorpe Hall in Padiham, Lancashire.

05/09/2026

🌿 Dyed, Printed and Painted Cloths of Gujarat 🌿

Join us at Gawthorpe Textiles Collection on Thursday 17 September, 6–8pm, for a fascinating talk and demonstration with three master artisans from Gujarat, western India:

🧵 Sufiyan Khatri – Ajrakh master
🎨 Kirit Chitara – Mata ni Pachedi painter
🌈 Abdullah Khatri – Bandhani tie-dye artisan

Hear their craft stories and learn about the traditional processes passed down through generations, with presentations, film and live demonstrations. There will also be an opportunity to purchase work directly from the artisans.

🎟️ Cost: by donation only
📌 Booking essential via Eventbrite:
eventbrite.co.uk/e/1999250399764

03/09/2026

ONLINE TALK: OBJECTS WITH A STORY
Join us on Tuesday 8 September 2026 at 7pm for an online talk exploring objects from our collection that have a real story to tell.

Many of these much-loved pieces were donated because they carry a sentimental or poignant story. Together, we’ll discover an eclectic mix of objects, each offering a brief glimpse into the lives of the people connected to them.

Only £9
Book your place and discover the stories behind our objects.
We will send out a time limited link to the recording after the event for anyone unable to watch on the actual day.

Book via our website What's On page or Eventbrite https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/online-talk-objects-with-a-story-tickets-1991566919267

Photos Copyright of Gawthorpe Textiles Collection

02/09/2026

It’s not too late to book your place! 🧵 Saturday 5 September 2026

Join us for our Study Visit: Samplers and explore selected samplers from the Gawthorpe Textiles Collection up close.

Guided by our Curator, the session will explore the changing styles of samplers, from fancy work and embroidery to plain work samplers created to demonstrate construction and finishing techniques. Discover the fascinating motifs, stitches and threads used in these historic pieces. 🔍✨

📅 Saturday 5 September 2026
⏰ 10am–1pm
📍 Gawthorpe Textiles Collection, Brierfield, England
🎟️ £26.50

👉 Buy your ticket here

or view our Website What's On page for details

31/08/2026

The Tolman Sisters of Alphington 🧵🌿

This beautifully worked linen sampler was stitched by Louisa Tolman, aged 11, on 17 February 1863, in Alphington, Devon.

It features alphabets and numbers, a strawberry border, flowers, trees and two dogs. At its centre is the verse “The Dying Christian to his Soul”, written by Alexander Pope and widely used as a hymn.

Louisa came from a family with strong needlework skills. By 1871, she and her younger sister Mary Ann were both working as dressmakers. Sadly, Louisa died just a year later, aged only 20.

Mary Ann was the only one of the Tolman children to reach old age. She later left money for a memorial window at St Michael’s Church, Alphington, in memory of her parents, brothers and sisters. Through Louisa’s sampler and Mary Ann’s memorial window, the Tolman family’s story lives on. 💛

📖 This post is adapted from our Collection Stories series, available on our website. The full written piece, “The Tolman Sisters of Alphington,” by author Jane Hellebrand, explores the family’s history in much greater detail and includes additional photographs.

Would you like to see more samplers from the Collection? There are still a few places left on our Sampler Study Day on Saturday 5 September 2026 at Northlight.

Book Via Eventbrite or look on our What's on Page for the link.
https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/study-visit-samplers-tickets-1991559422845

Linen sampler dated 1863 © GTC

Photos Copyright of Gawthorpe Textiles Collection

https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/study-visit-samplers-tickets-1991559422845

29/08/2026

Please join us for a very special afternoon at Hare Hill near Cartmel on Saturday 19 September - 3pm✨
Sally Figgins will be showing a short film made by the Crewel Work Company, followed by a fascinating talk about the Gawthorpe Textiles Collection and her great-aunt, Rachel Kay-Shuttleworth 🧵
Our event will take place at Hare Hill, a stunning venue made possible by the kind permission of the Lambtons. If you’ve never visited before, the view alone is worth the journey 🌿
Guests will also enjoy a boxed afternoon tea and a glass of fizz
🎟️ Tickets are £30 per person and are very limited, so please book early to avoid disappointment.
Book via Eventbrite:
https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/the-legacy-of-rachel-kay-shuttleworth-tickets-1997769296745
We look forward to welcoming you for an afternoon of textiles, history, conversation and beautiful surroundings 💛
Photos Copyright of Gawthorpe Textiles Collection

27/08/2026

A tiny object with a big story 🧵✨

This beautiful ribbon-work needle case dates from the late 18th or early 19th century. Made from silk, silk ribbon, silk twill and finished with a mother-of-pearl button, it was both practical and decorative.

For many women and girls, sewing was an essential everyday skill. Clothing was expensive, so garments were made, altered, repaired and carefully reused at home. Sewing could also provide an income, with women making and mending clothing for their families, neighbours and customers.

But needlework was not only about necessity. Embroidery, ribbon work and other forms of decorative sewing offered opportunities for creativity, self-expression and pleasure. These small, carefully made objects show the pride and enjoyment that could be found in beautiful handwork 💗

A needle case made for practical use, transformed into something exquisite ✨

📸Photos Copyright of Gawthorpe Textiles Collection

25/08/2026

✨Goldwork Up Close ✨
Step into the shimmering world of goldwork with us ✨
In this video, our Curator Rachel gives a glimpse into the historic pieces you’ll be able to explore up close on our study visit.

From fine English ecclesiastical embroidery to intricate textiles and garments from Persia, India and China, this is a brilliant chance to discover the detail, technique and beauty behind some of the collection’s finest examples 💛

If you love goldwork and metal embroidery, this study visit is the perfect opportunity to see original historic pieces, learn more about them, and connect with others who share your interest.

📍 Northlight House, Brierfield, Lancashire
🗓️ Sat 28 Nov
⏰ 10:00
💷 £26.50
🎟️ Book via Eventbrite: https://shorturl.at/kOaNi

✨🧵

22/08/2026

✨ Fragments of silk brocaded damask, c.1750–1751 ✨

These beautiful silk fragments once formed part of the wedding dress of Elizabeth Parker of Browsholme Hall, Clitheroe 💍

In the mid-18th century, silk fabrics like this were among the most desirable and expensive textiles. This design shows a classic combination of striped floral brocade and wavy self-coloured damask, perfectly suited to the fashionable wide skirts and ‘sacque back’ gowns of the time 🌸

Elizabeth’s story is just as fascinating as the fabric itself. Born in 1726, she kept extensive diaries, and after years of a secret courtship with her second cousin Robert Parker, the couple finally married in 1751 — just 10 days after receiving her parents’ approval 💌

Although the dress no longer survives, these fragments live on in collections at Gawthorpe Textiles Collection, Browsholme Hall, and the Harris Museum. They were gifted to Gawthorpe by Elizabeth’s descendant, Colonel Robert Gouldborne Parker, one of the founders of the collection’s charitable trust in 1959 🧵

📷 Photos copyright of Gawthorpe Textiles Collection

20/08/2026

🧵 Study Visit: Samplers 🧵
Join our Curator Rachel for a special opportunity to get up close with samplers from our historic collection.
In this video, Rachel explains what you can expect from the session, where we’ll explore the changing styles of samplers, from those created to record and display fancy work and embroidery, to plain work samplers used to learn and demonstrate construction and finishing techniques.
With Rachel guiding the session, we’ll take a closer look at the fascinating details within each piece, including motifs, stitches and threads. A wonderful chance to see these textiles in detail and discover the stories held within their stitches.
📅 Saturday 5 September 2026
⏰ 10am–1pm
Only £26.50
🎟️ Book your tickets and join us for this special study visit.
book via our website What's On Page https://www.gawthorpetextiles.org.uk/whats-on-current

Address

Northlight Estates
Brierfield
BB95EG

Telephone

+441282773963

Website

http://www.gawthorpetextiles.org.uk/

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