Reputation The Role of Clothiers Cloth Preparation Decline Ebley Mill Lodgemore Mill

Stroud became well known for it's high quality cloth known as broadcloth. 'Stroud Scarlet' was a high quality broadcloth that was used for making uniforms.  This was in great demand for soldiers' uniforms during the Civil War, as is detailed in a letter from Charles I to Prince Rupert, 1642. Different types of cloth were exported to Turkey, North America and the Far East [Rudder 1779:61]

Broadcloth was usually a thick, high quality plain cloth made on a broad loom. It was usually 24m-26m by 1.60m. Its quality depended upon the quality of the wool used.

The manufacture of broadcloth involved many stages.  These stages included:
* Preparing the wool
* Spinning and preparing the yarn
* Weaving
* Finishing

Until the 1800s, the spinning and weaving was done by hand in people's houses and cottages.

From January 2016, this website is managed by Stroud Local History Society

SM Cloth Mark, Salmon Springs House, Stroud
GRO Miles Report p369 cloth processes
GRO Stroudwater dyeworks