Mount Skipet

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The carpet industry first became properly established in the Mount Skipet area of the town under the direction of John Broome. Various legends abound around the way in which this occurred including industrial espionage involving intelligence as to  the design and operation of looms and the importation of skilled labour form Belgium. In any event by the middle of the eighteenth century the  reputation of Kidderminster for the manufacture of carpets was beginning to spread

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A small group of former Weavers' Cottages stand on the route out of town through the Horsefair. Identifiable by their well lit rooms on the top floor they were saved from demolition and restored as housing after a long campaign in which the Civic Society played its part. However it might be noted that in distinction from other textile products, carpet weaving was based in manufacturers large shed rather than in household from an early stage in the development of the industry. Carpet looms were generally too large to be accommodated any other way.