Turfted carpet is usually a single colour, although it can be dyed or even printed with a design. This type of carpet can be manufactured in several ways, but no matter how it’s created, it’s generally seen as one of the lower end carpets. This means it’s cheaper, but it may not be for everyone.

Woven carpet is made in a similar fashion to woven cloth, meaning it can be created out of many different colours and even includes different patterns. Woven carpet, in contrast to turfted carpet, is very high quality. Of course, this means it’s going to be more expensive, too.

A flatweave carpet is made out of interlocked threads. It can be further divided into plain weave, tapestry weave, and soumak carpet. This type of carpet, sometimes called Oriental flatweave, it mainly used in Japan and other Asian countries. It can be imported, but it’s going to be fairly expensive.

Knotted pile carpets aren’t as flat as other carpets. This is because they alternate weft threads with a supplementary weft that actually rises up from the carpet. This gives knotted pile carpets a different texture than other carpets, although not everyone is going to like this texture.

Needlefelt carpet is made by using a form of electrostatic attraction to bond the individual carpet fibres. This makes a very durable carpet that resists wear and tear and doesn’t stain easily. Most needlefelt carpet is used in public buildings and in hotels rather than in private homes.

Cut and Loop carpet is a medium durable carpet that comes in solid or multiple colours. This type of carpet features multiple levels of fibre. This means that dirt doesn’t show up as easily on cut and loop carpet, making it ideal for entryways, hallways, and other areas that are heavily trafficked.

A level loop pile carpet is very durable, and because it is made out of loops, it hides tracks and dirt. These loops actually stop dirt from getting down into the carpet as well, making it easier to clean.

Plush or velvet carpet is very luxurious. These are some of the softest carpets you’ll find, and they’re perfect for formal dining rooms, bedrooms, and living rooms. However, these carpets can be fairly expensive.

Saxony carpets are also very soft and work well for both formal and informal areas. However, they do show footprints and vacuum cleaner marks, so they are not good for high traffic areas. Textured Saxony is even softer and is available in a multi-coloured look that hides footprints better.

Finally, for high traffic areas, you may wish to consider a frieze carpet. It doesn’t a great job of hiding marks and dirt because it’s made out of shorter fibres that curl up in various directions.

On the 19th of November 1995 a terrible fire completely destroyed the inside of Wem town hall.

During the fire, local man Tony O’Rahilly took a photograph using a 200mm lens from the road. Later when he had the photograph developed, he found the image contained a young girl, standing in the doorway of the town hall’s fire escape.

As no-one was hurt in the fire, locals searched to find out who this girl might be. They discovered that there was a huge fire in Wem in 1677 which tore apart the town. A young girl called Jane Churm was accused of starting the fire unintentionally, by accidentally setting light to a thatched roof with a candle.

No one knows why she would haunt the town hall, but it is thought it could be down to her guilt for starting the original fire.

For more details about the town of Wem in Shropshire, see the Wem Guide website.

The young lady was a member of the highly esteemed Pomeroy family in the 14th Century. The girl gave birth to a child that was a result of an incestuous relationship with her own father. The father killed the girl’s baby in an upstairs room in the castle. The ghost of the girl has been seen wandering around in complete despair and upset. The sound of a crying newborn baby has also been heard on many occasions in the upper rooms of the castle – where the baby was murdered.
Lady Margaret Pomeroy is the other reported ghost who takers up residence in the castle. It is reported that Lady Margaret had a sister called Lady Eleanor. They were both very beautiful women and Eleanor wanted to be the only one. So, she imprisoned her sister into the dungeons and she eventually starved to death. Margaret’s ghost has been seen in the area of the gatehouse. Apparently Margaret lures passersby to their death by making them fall into the dungeons. So, if you do happen to see her in the gatehouse, make sure to not fall for her charms!

Source: Ghosts and Legends of Devon on the Teignmouth Online website.