In the 15th century the weaving of fine kersies and later serges was introduced to the area by weavers from the continent. This was largely a cottage industry and merchants would have premises where the fleeces would be combed and sorted. John Lane was one of the best known local cloth merchants (see Lane's Aisle in the section on St Andrew's church below). In the seventeenth century, Higher and Lower King's Mills were fulling mills for the local industry. In 1816 Mr Upcott employed 60 weavers and 'many spinners'. The Wellington based firm Fox Brothers had a branch factory built in 1890 and made high quality woolen and worsted cloth until 1977. During World War I, their entire output was of khaki cloth, employing over 200 people. In 1910 Mrs Gidley, wife of Dr Gustavus Gidley, set up a hand-weaving enterprise in the stables of Heyford House with the aim of giving employment to ex-servicemen and disabled people. To manage it she appointed two women, one a granddaughter of Bishop Phillpotts. Later the business evolved into machine knitted garments.