rope_making

Welcome to the Rural Crafts Storyline which covers the following topics:

Knitting Blacksmithing Skep making Cheese making Clog making
Harness making Rope making Thatching Tinsmithing Wood carving

Rural Crafts: Rope making

Mr Outhwaite, Ropemaker, Hawes

Outhwaite & Sons, Rope makers, Hawes: BU04719a

W.R. Outhwaite, Rope Makers, Hawes

Outhwaite & Sons, Rope makers, Hawes: BU04721A

Loom

Loom, Dales Countryside Museum: DCM0030

Ropes were traditionally made from natural fibres such as cotton, sisal, flax, jute and hemp. Of course, advances in technology have changed this, with most rope today being made of nylon that is stronger and water-resistant.

The method of rope making has also changed over time. The traditional method of rope manufacture is the ropewalk. This involves laying the yarns as in the picture below, with a twisting machine and a sledge. This machinery first twists each yarn and then twists again to make the yarns into a rope. The ropewalk at Outhwaite & Son, Rope makers in Hawes, survives and is still in use today.

Ropemaker, Hawes

Outhwaite & Sons, Rope makers, Hawes: BU04720b

W.R. Outhwaite, Rope Makers, Hawes

Outhwaite & Sons, Rope makers, Hawes: BU04725B

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