WITNEY, in West Oxfordshire, was once the world’s best-known town for blanket-weaving. It rose to national prominence to the clatter of the handlooms during the 17th century, and by the 19th century its mighty industrial weaving mills along the River Windrush exported blankets to every corner of the world.

One of the best known of Witney’s products was the Point Blanket, a distinctive blanket traded by early European settlers in Canada for beaver and other fur.

   Throughout the 18th and 19th centuries, one of the most famous of the trading houses was the Hudson Bay Company, a name that became almost synonymous with the Witney Point Blanket in North America.

   The Witney-woven point blankets usually had light, natural grounds, with bars of bright colours at each end. The points were short tufts of black yarn incorporated into the design to indicate the size of the blanket.  

   We’ve tweaked the tradition, keeping the light ground and the coloured bars, and adding a fringe to create a range of Witney Blanket Hall Contemporary Point Throws. There is also a significant content of Natural (undyed) British fleece in ecru, silver, or grey for a truly authentic appeal. These throws are a generous 60" x 76" (154cm x 194cm) including proper rolled fringes. And now here is your chance to buy one of these wonderful heirloom throws...