Our Group offers an in-person practical course in English on how to identify and describe the structure of textiles. It is suitable for historians, archaeologists, anthropologists, conservators, museum professionals and craftspeople. The aim is to increase the competence and confidence of people who have to describe textiles as part of their employment or research.

The course is divided into two sessions, each of two weeks. Part 1 is on simple weaves and early non-woven structures and Part 2 is on complex weaves (defined here as made on a loom with a device additional to the main shed-making mechanism).

​Upcoming Courses

The Part 1 sessions for 2025 will be 31st March – 11 April, and 7- 18 July 2025 held at The Loft Space, Britannia Mills, Slaithwaite, near Huddersfield, West Yorkshire, HD7 5HE.  

The course outline and specific learning outcomes for Part 1 are here.

The tutors for Part 1 are textile archaeologist Hero Granger-Taylor and weaver Ruth Gilbert. There is a maximum of 10 students per session. The fee for the course is £600, and does not include meals or accommodation. Please contact us if the cost would prevent your attendance.  For further details please email both tutors:
Hero Granger-Taylor, hero@granger-taylor.com
Ruth Gilbert, plainweave879@btinternet.com

A Part 2 session will take place in 2025, 18-22 and 25-29 August in Paris
People wishing to take Part 2 will be asked to take Part 1 first, unless they can prove they already have the background and experience necessary to follow Part 2.  The principal tutor is Sophie Desrosiers, Research and Teaching Assistant Professor at the Ecole des Hautes Etudes en Sciences Sociales – EHESS – Paris, since 1990. For further details please email both Sophie and Hero: 
Hero Granger-Taylor, hero@granger-taylor.com
Sophie Desrosiers, Sophie.Desrosiers@ehess.fr