A Wilton carpet is a machine-woven pile carpet named after the town of Wilton in Wiltshire, where carpet weaving was established in the eighteenth century. The name describes a specific technique in which the pile yarns are woven into the backing on a loom and the loops are then cut to produce a dense, velvety surface.
Wilton is closely related to Brussels carpet, which uses the same weaving method but leaves the loops uncut. In both, yarns of different colours run continuously through the backing, with only the required colour drawn up to the surface, giving a heavy, hard-wearing fabric. The adoption of the Jacquard mechanism in the nineteenth century allowed elaborate multicoloured patterns, and Wilton and Brussels carpets were widely used in Victorian and Edwardian homes, hotels, ships and public buildings, often fitted wall to wall from strips sewn together with a matching border. Original woven Wilton carpets from the nineteenth and early twentieth centuries are now uncommon and are sought for historic house restorations. Collectors and conservators look for good colour, an even pile, intact borders and evidence of the original pattern, as fading and wear are common.
