Our History

Verdant Works is the tale of two cities, both of them Dundee.

For thousands of people in the 19th century it was a city of long working hours, poor pay and ill health.  For the privileged few it was a city of opportunity and wealth.

At Verdant Works the rattle and roar of the original restored machiner, the juteopolois film show and computer displays transport you back over 100 years to an era when jute was king and Dundee was its realm.

In the 19th century Dundee's spinning and weaving traditions made it a natural centre for the manufacture of jute product.  The local whaling fleet supplied the oil essential for softening the raw material.  The streets of the city provided a ready workforce - skilled, experienced and cheap.

Verdant Works follows the journey of jute, from the fields of the Indial sub-continent to the mills of Dundee, and then on to the four corners of the world.

Step back in time and experience life in Dundee at the height of the jute industry.