The last of this year's teasel flowers

I noticed that a few of the wild teasels are still showing some colourful parts of their beautiful flowers. They pop up in our garden sometimes, planted there by the action of nature in the wild. Are the seeds of this biennial brought by birds? I certainly haven’t planted them. I like to keep the teasels heads they produce as decoration if I can catch them before they are buffeted by the elements.

Since the thirteenth century the Cotswolds woollen industry ensured their spread beginning centuries ago when they were used as part of the final processing of woven cloth. They were grown in industrial numbers as a vital part of the process, and are still found naturalised in many areas, but particularly near to the river valleys and the mills that were built to harness the water power. There were nineteen mills within a four mile stretch of our Golden Valley which I look out upon. Now only one mill remains working to produce cloth, mostly to produce snooker table cloths and the covering of tennis balls.

I’ve copied this short section of an article about the local cloth industry which is well illustrated. If you are at all interested in the history of cloth making in the Cotswold this website is a good illustrated introduction.

The power of a water mill in action
It was an incredible thrill to see the large water mill turned on (see video below). Its exceptional bulk takes up much of the space. Luckily it is well protected to stop anyone falling in. Its power vibrates through the entire room. You can’t help but wonder what it would have been like with four of these wheels turning and all the machines in action.

At present the mill powers two machines; a modernised version of the fulling machine. The second raises the cloth by stroking the fabric with a teasel brush. Teasels are part of a plant that looks like a burr-weed. These were put into the brush by a special teasel setter.

The photo here is of the last teasel setter, who has since passed away. I always find it sad that complete knowledge of a craft can die with someone. An age-old specialism that will no longer be passed on down and through generations. The fluff from the teasels was cleared off the brush by children. A sure sign that they worried somewhat less about health, safety or child labor back in the day.

Shearing the cloth
One of the last treatments in creating such a fine cloth was the shaving off of any excess fibres. A tough job and a dangerous skill. Should you get it wrong you’d not only ruin the cloth but also lose a body part. Later, they evolved this action into a rotating machine you see in the photo here., which coincidently lead to the invention of the lawnmower here in Stroud by Edward Budding.