Common Threads Exhibition
- Published:
- 13 January 2026
A new exhibition at Packwood explores some fascinating tapestries.
Common Threads
Packwood House exhibition unravels a century-old tapestry belief
For almost a century, two historic Midlands Tudor houses believed they were connected by fragments of the same 17th-century tapestry.
Now, that long-held assumption is being unravelled at Packwood House, where a new exhibition from 19 January – 5 April reveals the true and surprising story behind the fragments.
Common Threads will bring together Packwood House’s Two Women tapestry fragment and Selly Manor Museum’s Achilles fragment, displayed side by side at Packwood for the first time in living memory. While the two pieces were once thought to belong to a single, larger tapestry, a recent examination into the colour, imagery and weave has confirmed they are not connected.
The revelation came after a visit by the Packwood team to Selly Manor Museum in Bournville last year, prompting fresh investigation into both fragments and their histories.
Emily Greaves, Collections and House Manager at Packwood House, said: ‘The two tapestries, although they don’t match, have been a catalyst for a much larger story about the histories of our places. New links between our houses, people and collections have been revealed, leading to fresh and exciting narratives. Working in partnership with the team at Selly Manor Museum has been so enjoyable and following on from their exhibition last year the team are so excited to continue our work together for Packwood’s Common Threads exhibition in early 2026.’
This exhibition explores the wider significance of textiles as storytelling objects and the parallel histories of Packwood House and Selly Manor Museum. Both houses were shaped in the early 20th-century by passionate collectors: Graham Baron Ash at Packwood and Laurence Cadbury at Selly Manor. Both men were born in 1889 into Birmingham-based industrial families, served in WW1 as chauffeurs, travelled widely, collected with a passion and filled their homes with period furniture and objects.
The Common Threads exhibition at Packwood House, will be open from 19 January until 5 April 2026, Monday-Sunday 11am-3pm. Entry to the exhibition is included in admission.