Rug Festival 2026

Thank goodness spring feels like it has arrived and I’m so excited to announces that I will be holding another rug festival in my garden.

Save the date

Friday 1st May -Sunday 10th May 2026

This extraordinary and eccentric event was the highlight of my year in 2025 – a Turkoman Yurt and nomadic tents full of rugs along side a delicious Tea Garden Café. Please keep connected to find out more on Instagram and Facebook. I will be confirming some exciting new additions for this year’s event, so lots more to come…

A little bit of interesting history

It is not known when the first piled rugs were first produced but I think we can assume that it was the nomads who developed the technique of shearing and spinning the fleece from their livestock to produce insulating and decorative fabrics for their tents.

The oldest surviving fragment of woollen piled weaving was found frozen in the ice of the flooded tomb of a Scythian tribal chief in the Pazyryk Valley in the Mountains of Siberia.

The Pazyryk Rug is believed to be the oldest surviving piled rug in the world darting from the 5th century BC. The design, colours and detail proves the craftsmanship of rug making was already advanced and admired by this date.

The design of the original Pazyryk rug has been studied and copied. I recently found a home for this beautiful handmade reproduction.

Make an appointment to meet me at the Melford Antiques & Interiors Centre to discuss rugs you may be looking for, I will be happy to help.

Melford Antiques & Interiors Centre, Long Melford CO10 9JA

The centre is open 7 days a week and there are always helpful staff to help you dig deep into the piles of rugs.

With my very best wishes,

Sara