Warner Textile Archive

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Warner Textile Archive

Official page for the Warner Textile Archive in Braintree, Essex. These are complemented throughout the year by colourful temporary exhibitions.

The Warner Textile Archive holds an inspiring and unique collection of more than 60,000 textiles, 10,000 paper designs, pattern books, record books, photographs and documentary material. Elegant velvets and brocades are preserved alongside vibrant printed works, all reflecting the stylistic currents of their time. The collection also casts light on the textile production process; print blocks, pho

tographs and Jacquard cards provide an insight into the weaving and printing techniques used by generations of Warner employees. In addition, we preserve nearly 1,000 textile items collected by the Warner designers for inspiration over the years, including hand beaded caps from Africa, embroidered kimonos and a stitched coat from Kazakhstan. The Archive is housed in an original Warner & Sons mill building; the old power loom shed was bought and restored to conservation standard to store and display the company’s remarkable legacy. Visitors to the Archive will find a permanent gallery exhibiting some of the collection’s treasures, including the creations of renowned twentieth century designers such as Alec Hunter and Eddie Squires, and the opulent silks woven for royal coronations. Visit our blog at www.warnertextilearchive.co.uk/blog

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01/09/2026

Using examples from churches and collections Marianna Garthwaite Klaiman has visited, her online talk, Symbolism in Ecclesiastical Textiles on 24th September will take you on a visual journey through the many images found on ecclesiastical vestments and textiles. She has deliberately selected a wide variety of styles, time periods and materials to illustrate her program, including some fabrics created by Warner & Sons.

Images show Marianna in her New York workroom, a butterfly on a burse, from St. Ignatius of Antioch, New York, and a peacock on a superfrontal, St. Paul's Episcopal Church, Rochester, New York. Learn more about this complex iconography with Marianna 7pm, 24th September. Tickets can be booked here: https://www.ticketsource.com/braintree-museum/online-talks-symbolism-in-ecclesiastical-textiles-with-marianna-garthwaite-klaiman/e-qgmeze

31/08/2026

FREE!

We have 35 brown stackable chairs available free of charge.🪑
Preferably to be taken as one lot.
Collection from Braintree Museum only

Interested? Send us a DM or call 01376 328868

29/08/2026

Our special Art Deco Behind the Scenes Tour as part of the Selvedge London Textile Month is coming up soon and we only have limited tickets left.

On Wednesday 16th September join us for a tour that will highlight the diverse collection of textiles produced by Warner & Sons in the 1920s and 1930s and bring patterns that have not been seen since their original creation into the spotlight to spark inspiration. Discover the depth of imagination of designers and weavers of the era through seeing patterns up close.

Details on how to book: https://www.selvedge.org/collections/london-textile-month-2026

London Textile Month is a celebration of cloth, craft, and culture across London. From 1–30 September 2026, they are bringing together artists, makers, brands, and institutions to share the textiles that connect us all.

.linens .and.nomad .studio .and.stars .baltesz .woven .and.form .arts .merl

26/08/2026

It's not too early to get your tickets to join us for our royal textiles programme this autumn.

On 18th November Dr Kate Strasdin will offer her online talk, Dressing the Queen: 200 Years of Makers and Monarchy. Her latest book, Dressing the Queen reveals the often unknown stories of the many makers to royal wardrobes past from Queen Victoria to Queen Elizabeth II and this online talk will explore several specific stories. Tickets can be booked here: https://www.ticketsource.com/braintree-museum/online-talks-dressing-the-queen-200-years-of-makers-and-monarchy/e-zpdeqo

Then, on 27th November join us for a Behind the Scenes Tour at Braintree Museum and the Warner Textile Archive to see enchanting silk textiles made for princesses. Captivate the imagination through exploring the history behind palace decoration, and the glittering designs produced for royal coronations. Warner & Sons were experts in manufacturing mesmerising silk textiles, and this reputation led them to become the leading supplier to the royal household throughout the twentieth century. Tickets for Royal Celebrations and Palace Decoration can be booked here: https://www.ticketsource.com/braintree-museum/behind-the-scenes-tours-royal-celebrations-and-palace-decoration/e-kqprra

Photographs show: Miss Lily Lee (who wove the velvet for the Coronation Robe for the Queen Mother) runs her fingers through the strands of silk to keep them in position, 18th November 1952.

Prince Charles with his grandfather King George VI in 1951, seated on a sofa upholstered in Warner & Sons' design 'Buxton'.

21/08/2026

It's always a thrill to see Warner & Sons textiles still in usage. The 'Queensway' design was created for the Coronation of Queen Elizabeth in 1953 and used to decorate Westminster Abbey. The blue and gold pattern is seen in these photos repurposed as an altar cloth and vestments after being gifted to the St. Mary's-in-Tuxedo church in New York, given probably by the Duke and Duchess of Windsor to Katherine St. George for usage in the church furnishings. Still used today by Father Richard James Robÿn [pictured], 'Queensway' looks spectacular more than 70 years after being installed for the coronation.

Hear more stories like this at our online talk Symbolism in Ecclesiastical Textiles with Marianna Garthwaite Klaiman on 24th September. Book your tickets here: https://www.ticketsource.com/braintree-museum/online-talks-symbolism-in-ecclesiastical-textiles-with-marianna-garthwaite-klaiman/e-qgmeze

18/08/2026

Our Patchwork & Quilts Behind the Scenes Tour is almost fully booked. Last couple of tickets available for 16th October. This tour offers you the chance to see hidden patchwork gems including wonderful quilts from the 1800s, alongside intricate patchwork made from Warner & Sons silks, and original artwork for patchwork textiles. Hear about the people who made the patchwork quilts and the mysteries that remain to be solved. A treasure trove of craftsmanship, history and beauty. Immerse yourself in the wonderous world of patchwork and quilting.

Book your tickets here: https://www.ticketsource.com/braintree-museum/behind-the-scenes-tours-patchwork-quilts-at-the-warner-textile-archive/e-rboqjp

Learn more about Barbara Springate and her incredible patchwork quilt here which is a highlight of the tour: https://warnertextilearchive.co.uk/a-lifetime-in-the-making/

14/08/2026

We're excited to be part of the Selvedge London Textile Month in September.
On Wednesday 16th September we'll be hosting a special Art Deco Behind the Scenes Tour.
Full events programme can be found here, including details on how to book: https://www.selvedge.org/collections/london-textile-month-2026

London Textile Month is a celebration of cloth, craft, and culture across London. From 1–30 September 2026, they are bringing together artists, makers, brands, and institutions to share the textiles that connect us all.

Expect workshops, exhibitions, talks, open studios, pop-up events and more. Discover rare fabrics, learn new skills, and hear the stories behind some of the world’s most beautiful textiles. Whether you’re a lifelong maker, a collector, or feeling curious, you’ll find inspiration and community at every turn.

.linens .and.nomad .studio .and.stars .baltesz .woven .and.form .arts .merl

13/08/2026

Tickets available to join textile historian Marianna Garthwaite Klaiman on 24th September for an online talk entitled Symbolism in Ecclesiastical Textiles. Based in New York, Marianna has undertaken extensive research and conservation of the ecclesiastical textiles of the city and many of those she assesses are made from patterns originally supplied by Warner & Sons. It is so exciting for us to work with her on identifying the Warner & Sons textiles that continue to be an important part of church decoration in the USA.

To learn more, get your tickets here: https://www.ticketsource.com/braintree-museum/online-talks-symbolism-in-ecclesiastical-textiles-with-marianna-garthwaite-klaiman/e-qgmeze

24/07/2026

We're pleased to announce our newest online talk available for booking this autumn is with Dr Kate Strasdin, Senior Lecturer in Cultural Studies at the Fashion and Textiles Institute, Falmouth University. On Wednesday 18th November, her topic will be Dressing the Queen: 200 Years of Makers and Monarchy, to coincide with the release of her newest book of the same title. Dressing the Queen reveals the often unknown stories of the many makers to royal wardrobes past from Queen Victoria to Queen Elizabeth II.

Book your tickets here: https://www.ticketsource.com/braintree-museum/online-talks-dressing-the-queen-200-years-of-makers-and-monarchy/e-zpdeqo

05/07/2026

Book now for Heritage Open Days 2026!
https://www.ticketsource.com/braintree-museum

This year the Warner Textile Archive will open its doors with an exclusive Behind the Scenes Tour of Everyday Histories: The People who Made Warner & Sons

Friday 18th and Saturday 19th September 11am

Imagine taking your daily commute to the large sprawling factory of New Mills in Braintree, Essex, owned by Warner & Sons, to weave silks destined for the grandest homes in the world, or meet with your fellow industrial designers to create patterns that will shape the history of interior design. This behind the scenes tour offers you the chance to step into the role of weaver, designer, block-printer, sales representative and interior decorator to understand the process of initial design idea through to finished textile. We will journey through this development with important textiles designed and made by Warner & Sons, illustrating how specific roles working together contributed to building a business that led the way in furnishing textile design and manufacture across the centuries.
Tours last about an hour.
Braintree Museum can also be visited and don't forget about our lovely cafe Something Scrummy!

Please remember:
There is no parking on-site. There are a variety of pay and display car parks in Braintree town centre.
We are a short walk from both Braintree bus station and railway station.
Warner Textile Archive is accessible for wheelchairs.

Address

Silks Way
Braintree
CM73GB

Telephone

+441376316780

Website

http://www.warnertextilearchive.co.uk/

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