Arran Heritage Tapestry

Silverbirch Spinning and Weaving Workshop and the Art Department at Arran High School worked together in 1989 with 4th year pupils, under the supervision of the Head of the Art Department Maureen Farquharson and Textile Artist and manager of Silverbirch Lynn Gray Ross.

The project began with a field trip round the island photographing the ruins of textile mills which had been working in the 1700’s. You can see in two of the pictures the streams which provided water for the mill wheels.

The ruins were used as a basis for drawings which showed what the mills would have looked like at their peak use, as well as the surrounding landscape. These were then transformed into cartoons, or tapestry guides which were fixed on the the loom.

the completed panels 45 cm x 35 cm

top left: Winter :The Sloke Weavers Village, Balmichael

top right: Spring: The Dyemill, Lamlash

bottom left: Autumn: Mill House, Brodick

bottom right: Summer: Carding Mill, Glen Rhee

PW0020 Arran Heritage Tapestry

The Weavers

Clare Galloway, Nina Morgan,

Sian Patterson, Rachel Currie