The fascinating history of the woollen mills at Chalford & Brimscombe.

During the Middle Ages the woollen industry was the foundation of the British economy and it remained so right up until the nineteenth century. By the middle of the fifteen century cloth was England's major export. The easy availability of Cotswold wool together with a good supply of water from the River Frome and the suitability of natural salts in the spring water for cleaning and dyeing meant that the Stroud Valley was the perfect location for the centre of the earliest industrial development and as a result many of Stroud's mill sites are of medieval origin. By the beginning of the nineteenth century there were 150 mills in the Stroudwater area, many within the Stroud valleys, Woodchester being a key centre. However, the industry declined rapidly from the 1850s and by the start of the twentieth century there were only 20 active mills the county. Now it is less than a handful but, fortunately , many of the buildings still survive and are currently used for other commercial purposes or have been converted to private dwellings. Chalford & Brimscombe Woollen Mills Through Time offers a unique insight into the rich industrial heritage of the Stroud Valley and a fascinating glimpse into a bygone age.