History
350 years of framework knitting in Bonsall
Framework knitting in Bonsall
Framework knitting was the main industry in Bonsall for around 100 years. Knitting shops like ours could be found around the village, producing stockings, socks and occasionally fancy lace or trimming.
Today, most of these workshops have been modernised or repurposed. But our building at Yew Tree Farm remains mostly the same as when it was built in 1737 — a rare and well-preserved example of a working knitters’ workshop.
With the help of local historians, we’ve pulled together the stories of the people, the building and the craft. Explore them using the tools below.
Did you know?
William Lee invented the first knitting frame in 1589. By the 1700s, villages like Bonsall were producing thousands of stockings a year — long before the industrial revolution transformed the textile industry.
Explore
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Workshop Timeline
Browse 350 years of history — the building, the people, the craft. Filter by category and explore at your own pace.
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Village Map
See where framework knitting workshops were located across Bonsall. Click each site to learn about its history.
Thanks to
The history content on this site was researched and compiled by Jeanette Moss. We’re also grateful to Peter Arrowsmith and Mel Morris, whose reports were significant sources of information.