The Watts & Co. Blog

Cardinal Newman and Watts - a Meeting of Friends - Watts & Co.
Cardinal Newman and Watts - a Meeting of Friends
The history of Watts & Co. is bound up with an encounter between one of the 19th century’s most influential thinkers, writers and churchmen and George Gilbert Scott Jr, the eminent Victorian architect... Read more...
Westminster Abbey - Watts & Co.
Westminster Abbey
Our first and foremost connection to Westminster Abbey is Sir George Gilbert Scott (1811-78) - father to one of our company’s founders, George Gilbert Scott Jr., and great-great-great-grandfather of our... Read more...
The Colours of Watts: Lent and our Royal Purple - Watts & Co.
The Colours of Watts: Lent and our Royal Purple
This Lent we’re taking some time to reflect on our vestments and the incredible work that goes into their craftsmanship. We are also delving deeper into our company history as... Read more...
VTS Bicentennial Project - Watts & Co.
VTS Bicentennial Project
Watts & Co. crafted unique ecclesiastical items for Virginia Theological Seminary's 200th anniversary, including custom silk fabric with their 'Hilliard' pattern. They created stoles, a Low Mass set, and an... Read more...
Watts in our Workroom - Watts & Co.
Watts in our Workroom
Watts & Co combines tradition and innovation in their work, with a unique setup where their workroom and showroom share the same space. Known for intricate embroidery and tailoring, all... Read more...
Rejoice! Gaudete Sunday and Rose Vestments - Watts & Co.
Rejoice! Gaudete Sunday and Rose Vestments
Gaudete Sunday, the third Sunday of Advent, stands out with its unique rose-colored vestments, a rare liturgical color used also on Laetare Sunday in Lent. This color shift from the... Read more...
A History of Watts Fabrics - 'Gothic' - Watts & Co.
A History of Watts Fabrics - 'Gothic'
In the first of their series on historic patterns, Watts & Co. explores the 'Gothic' silk damask, designed in the 1870s by G. F. Bodley. This fabric, a staple in... Read more...
“A Perpetual Song of Praise”: G. F. Bodley and Washington National Cathedral - Watts & Co.
“A Perpetual Song of Praise”: G. F. Bodley and Washington National Cathedral
The Washington National Cathedral, a masterpiece of Gothic architecture in the U.S., was originally designed by George Frederick Bodley, one of Watts & Co.'s founders. Bodley's design, deeply rooted in... Read more...
Religious Motifs in Watts & Co.’s Special Items - Watts & Co.
Religious Motifs in Watts & Co.’s Special Items
Watts & Co.’s vestment styles and fabrics are often named after saints, reflecting the company's historical and artistic heritage established by founders Bodley, Garner, and Scott Jr. These include the... Read more...
Behind the Scenes at Watts & Co: a Q&A with the sewing team - Watts & Co.
Behind the Scenes at Watts & Co: a Q&A with the sewing team
The Gothic silk damasks, particularly the one inspired by the rood screen in St Edmund's Southwold from 1480, is a favorite at Watts & Co., revered for its historical connection... Read more...
The Early Years of Watts & Co - Watts & Co.
The Early Years of Watts & Co
Initially focused on interior design for stately homes, Watts & Co. became known for its intricate wallpaper patterns and textiles influenced by late medieval and early Renaissance designs. Founders Bodley,... Read more...
Architectural Foundations: The Founding of Watts and Co. - Watts & Co.
Architectural Foundations: The Founding of Watts and Co.
In 1874, amidst the aesthetic shift brought by the Public Worship Regulation Act and the rise of the Aesthetic movement, architects George Frederick Bodley, George Gilbert Scott Jr., and Thomas... Read more...