To see how our wool spinning mill works, take a virtual tour of the mill which will tell you briefly how Cornwall's only wool mill turns fleece into yarn. It will also give you an idea of how we use traditional methods that were developed during the Industrial Revolution.

Every process we undertake at Launceston - scouring, blending, carding, spinning and finishing - used to be completed entirely by hand. Even spinning was hand done until the 14th Century when the spinning wheel was introduced to Europe from India where it was invented.

Gradually every part of the process of turning raw fleece into yarn was mechanised and the development of the early machines helped mark the beginning of the Industrial Revolution that started in the second half of the 18th Century.

Names like James Hargreaves, Richard Arkwright and Samuel Crompton you may remember from school. Although their inventions, the spinning jenny, water-powered spinning frame and spinning mule were developed for the cotton industry, the principles spread across the entire textile industry and their influence is still felt today and is reflected in our mill.

Remember that wool has been a part of the UK economy for centuries providing wealth and creating employment in an industry that came to dominate many towns and cities, notably in Yorkshire. When oak trees were felled to build houses, bridges and ships, sheep were introduced to graze the land that emerged from the forests.

The brief virtual tour will only give you a basic idea of how Cornwall's only wool mill turns fleece into yarn. If you want to know more about the historical background of the industry, go to our Education page which includes a number of links to places that will tell you how things used to be done.