A Lace Trail around Olney (Revised August 2018)

Learn about Harry Armstrong the last great character associated with Olney lacemaking

This trail provides an introduction to Olney's lace makers and the associated cottage industry which lasted for over 300 years. Continental lace makers came to this area of North Buckinghamshire as a result of religious persecution in their own countries from the late 1500s through to the late 1600s. The lace makers, particularly those from Lille and Mechlin, settled here in Olney and taught local women to make bobbin lace.

The Points of Interest covered in the trail demonstrate that, although most experienced lace makers produced excellent fine lace, they barely managed to scrape a living from their labours.

The author of the original work for this trail was local historian Elizabeth Knight. It has been developed and edited for digital media by the Olney and District historical Society.

Completion of the trail takes around 30 minutes.

Trail revised August 2018