Broadweavers and Clothiers Guild
Welcome to the official website of the Broadweavers and Clothiers Guild of Coventry. Our guild has a rich history intertwined with the development and prosperity of Coventry, a city renowned for its textile industry.
Our History
In the Middle Ages, Coventry was a significant and wealthy city, with its economy heavily reliant on the textile trades, particularly those related to wool. The first merchant guild was established as early as 1340 to protect this vital trade. It is within this early guild that the Broadweavers and Clothiers Company has its roots.The Broadweavers and Clothiers Guild was officially incorporated as a company by Royal Charter in 1665, although our activities were recorded as much as 200 years earlier. This long history highlights our integral role in Coventry’s development.
The Importance of Textiles in Coventry
Coventry’s prominence in the textile industry began with the making of broadcloths, a trade that was the foundation of the city’s early importance and prosperity. By 1377, Coventry was recorded as the fourth largest city in England, behind only Bristol, York, and London.Although the wool trade declined during the 16th century, Coventry experienced a resurgence in the 18th and 19th centuries with the rise of silk and ribbon weaving. This period saw Coventry become an important centre of weaving once again.
Women working in Coventry Machanics Factory
The 'Coventry' Textile
The Weavers Arms Guild is a legacy of Coventry's past trade
The weavers of Coventry
The Six Ancient Guilds of Coventry
Coventry was home to a diverse range of trades and crafts, with at least 100 different trades in the early 1500s. Among these, six ancient guilds still remain, all related to the textile industry.
| Broadweavers | Known for manufacturing traditional, heavy broadcloth, the Statute Cloths, which weighed from 86 to nearly 100lbs. Our records date back to the 14th century. |
| Drapers | Dealers in finished cloth, the most senior craft in the city, with records dating back to the 15th century. |
| Mercers | Merchants with a special interest in cloth-trading, forming a privileged association of the wealthiest merchants by the 16th century. |
| Cappers | A craft that emerged in the 1480s, involving weaving, knitting, and felting to make caps for men. This was the largest occupational group in the city. |
| Fullers | Also known as Walkers, responsible for finishing the web of broadcloth before it was shorn by the Shearmen. This was the least wealthy of the crafts. |
| Tanners | Responsible for turning whole carcasses into leather, the wealthiest leather-working trade due to the need for capital and land, with records from 1494. |
Our Mission
The Broadweavers and Clothiers Guild is dedicated to preserving the rich traditions of Coventry’s ancient craft guilds. Our members, a small group of dedicated volunteers, work tirelessly to support local individuals and organisations in promoting skills in textiles-related industries. Whether as a career or a hobby, we aim to foster a thriving community of textile enthusiasts within Coventry and Warwickshire.
Courtalds Textile Works and Cash's Silk Spinning
Coventry Market textiles stall
At 23 metres tall and 12 metres wide, and weighing about a ton, this impressive tapestry was woven by hand on a 500 year old loom and was at one point the largest continuously woven tapestry in the world.
Quilters Loom Coventry
Supporting Education and Development
We believe in nurturing the next generation of textile professionals. To this end, the Broadweavers and Clothiers Guild actively collaborates with commercial and educational sponsors to participate in public competitions and support individual development in studies or business enterprises.Our commitment to education is exemplified by our modest bursary scheme. We are keen to identify talented students at school, college, or university who wish to further their education in a textiles-related field. Financial support is available to assist these students through their studies.To qualify for the bursary, students must demonstrate a strong connection to Coventry and Warwickshire and be actively pursuing or about to embark on a course of further education in a textiles-related subject.If you are a student with a passion for textiles and a connection to Coventry and Warwickshire, we encourage you to apply for our bursary. Application forms can be obtained by contacting the Clerk to the Broadweavers, Brian Jukes, at [email protected].
Our Legacy
Despite the decline of the wool trade in the 16th century, Coventry’s textile industry adapted and thrived with new trades such as silk and ribbon weaving. The expertise in weaving has been maintained through the centuries, even as heavy industries like bicycle and motor car manufacturing came and went.Today, the Broadweavers and Clothiers Guild continues to honour the rich heritage of Coventry’s textile industry, preserving the skills and traditions that have been passed down through generations.
