Contact information, map and directions, contact form, opening hours, services, ratings, photos, videos and announcements from The Witney Blanket Hall, 100 The High Street, Witney.
Witney Blanket Hall has stood at 100 High Street for 300 years... Do come and explore the wonderful building, wander through our garden to the river, enjoy our pieshop, and see our great woollen throws and scarves in the Blanket Hall shop.
07/12/2024
Hey hey! Those wonderful 'Blanket Town Ukes' are back! Just walk in any time between 2pm and 4pm on Saturday 14th December at Witney Blanket Hall.
And, of course, the Hall is open and free to explore, there's plenty of Christmas ideas in our shop, and our pieshop is open for lunch and cream teas, and coffee and cake.
What's not to like? Come to Witney Blanket Hall!
12/11/2024
What lies up those stairs? Do come an explore at the Blanket Hall!
Open (and free!), 10am to 5pm every Wednesday to Saturday.
(Lots to see, and the coffee and pieshop is open to!)
31/10/2024
As many know, the River Windrush flows past the end of our garden at The Blanket Hall. The film title is self-explanatory... The line: "was a trout!" is immortal!
Two visitors discuss a heron fishing at Witney Blanket Hall
30/10/2024
And it was a pleasure for us to welcome Mr Maynard, our new MP, and Max, his Chief of Staff who took the photographs. The Blanket Hall began with a monopoly charter from Queen Anne, hence the painting, because in the early 18th century monopoly and 'position' was believed the best way to economic progress.
Now, on the whole, we believe that competition is the best way to better and cheaper goods and services, and we believe that practical experience is a better guide to success than political ideology. And I am sure that Mr Maynard will agree, and help Witney prosper... Best fortune to him in his endeavours.
By the by, that splendid quilt in the other photograph is the work of the u3a (formerly University of the Third Age) an enormous (430k+ members) organisation that does so much to keep people mentally fit, active, and agile. The quilt is the work of many branches and celebrates the 40th anniversary of u3a.
Lastly, as Chairman of Witney Chamber of Commerce we welcome all businesses in and around Witney to join our Chamber, and make the voice of local business a powerful one. Go to https://www.witneychamber.org/
The Blanket Hall is freely open to visitors every Wednesday to Saturday: https://www.blankethall.co.uk/
26/09/2024
Thursday 17th October, and Heather Pike is coming back! This time with Agatha Christie's 'Problem at Sea'... Hercule Poirot has to use the little grey cells to explain what has happened to Mrs Clapperton.
As before a slap-up tea with a Poirot/nautical theme. Just 20 spaces, and £20 a ticket. Apply now 01993706408 or [email protected]
17/09/2024
As most know, we are affiliated with Cotswold Woollen Weavers in Filkins... And also with Filkins Stone Company who are running 'Taster Day' hands-on stonemasonry courses. Huge fun, and you will end the day with something worthwhile that you've made yourself to take home.
Have a look at the Filkins Stone webpage, and click on 'Taster Days' in the menu...
Architectural and sculptural stone work in natural English limestone from the West Oxfordshire Cotswolds
03/09/2024
"You've heard about my capers when windows I've to clean
Now I'd like to tell you of a few more things I've seen..."
Do come and hear, as well as see, the Blanket Town Ukes in action!
Come and listen to Witney's very own 'Blanket Town Ukes' in the garden at Witney Blanket Hall at 2pm on Saturday 7th September (no charge!)
The usual splendid Blanket Hall cream teas will be available, but do please pre-book... See foot of the poster for details.
29/08/2024
Come and listen to Witney's very own 'Blanket Town Ukes' in the garden at Witney Blanket Hall at 2pm on Saturday 7th September (no charge!)
The usual splendid Blanket Hall cream teas will be available, but do please pre-book... See foot of the poster for details.
27/07/2024
Courtesy of the great Mike French , here is a photograph of sheep being dipped in the River Thames in 1885.
Sheep were generally dipped before shearing as a way of clearing as much of the dirt and grease as possible... Which made considerably easier the processing of their fleece into yarn and woven cloth.
10/07/2024
We get so used to things...
For instance, think about Vincent Van Gogh, and one thinks instantly of those slightly agonised self-portrait paintings.
But Van Gogh was actually born in the age of photography... Here he is at the age of 19 in 1874.
24/05/2024
I appreciate that everyone is getting ready for that Big Event in early July, but there are other things going on too!
Witney Chamber of Commerce has begun to compile a 'Calendar of Witney Events', which aims to provide a central register of everything that is going on in the area. You can see the development so far at www.witneychamber.org and click on 'diary' in the top menu.
Soon there will be a form to allow for direct listing of events, but in the meanwhile, do please send details of any event you are planning or know about to the email address on the diary page.
And, of course, all suggestions warmly welcomed.
The Witney Chamber of Commerce exists to represent the interests of its members, and to be a ‘voice for business’ in Witney and around.
15/05/2024
Fire was a constant hazard in a mill (oil particles and woollen dust swirling in the air can be an explosive mixture!) However, after a lot of clearing up, in this case (as quite often!) the insurance pay-out enabled Earlys to buy a new tape-condenser which allowed for more efficient spinning.
15/05/2024
I say, everyone... Here's your last chance to buy some tickets for good old Heather Pike, when she trots round for a riot of afternoon on 23rd May.
So, run the poster up your flagpole, book your tickets NOW... and see you soon...
Remember: 23rd May from 1.45pm for a spiffing afternoon's entertainment and a corking tea. Have a look at the poster.
Jeeves, get ready to take charge!
Please email: [email protected] or phone: 01993 706408 or message NOW
13/05/2024
The New Dark Lane junction, now an area redeveloped with housing.
12/05/2024
The Old Dark Lane junction, now an area redeveloped with new housing.
11/05/2024
The Old Dyehouse at Early's Blanket Mill in Witney, in the late 1950s.
09/05/2024
Building a Northrop Shed in the 1950s. The Northrop loom as a semi-automatic loom in that it changed its own shuttle bobbins. It marked a departure from the older Hattersleys and Dobcross and Hodgson shuttle looms... And it is interesting that the 1950s also saw new building techniques too... Gone were the days of stone-built mills, in favour of metal-framed and cladded buildings like this one.
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Witney Blanket Hall was built in 1721 by the Company of Blanket Makers. For over 120 years, every blanket woven in the town came to the Hall to be weighed and measured, and upstairs in the Great Room the Company set the Rules for the Trade. After 1845 the New Mills established their own measuring, and the redundant Blanket Hall became variously a Brewery, a Lemonade Factory, Engineering Shop, Office of births marriages and deaths, Dancing School, and latterly, a distinctive gentleman’s house. During most of its history, the Hall is also where many of the town’s Public Meetings took place, the death of Kings solemnly commemorated and the birth of Princes celebrated with great feasts. In the 18th Century, the Hall housed the town’s Fire Pump. In 2015, the Hall reopened its doors to reveal this illustrious past and offer woollen blankets and throws, coffee pies and assemblies, both commercial and cultural. Visitors are always welcome and are invited to come and find out more about the infamous Witney Blankets.
The Pie Shop offers its famous pies and platters, as well as tea, coffee and cakes. We are licenced so wine and Blanket Hall Beer are always available. The Hall can be open outside hours by arrangement and is often available for Hire by Companies and Societies. Please email [email protected] for more details.