Monkwell originated in 1889, under the name of Semple & Co, a family firm dealing in canvasses, tarpaulins, jute goods and various sundries associated both with furniture and with general industrial uses such as shipping and transportation. The range expanded in the 1950s to include furnishing fabrics, which by 1976 had proved so popular that the industrial textile side ceased to exist.

In the 1970s the demand for more space precipitated the move from London to Dorset, where an in-house design department was established in 1986. In 1987, having been purchased by Parker Knoll Ltd, the company became known as Monkwell, a name derived from its former location at Well Court, London, in premises situated above the well of a medieval monastery.

Business flourished in the UK and Monkwell expanded into the export market in the late 1980s. In 1992 the merchandise offer was expanded through the purchase of the stock and name of The Design Archives, a Courtaulds' company.
In the 21st Century, Monkwell has continued to produce innovative collections for curtains and upholstery; it has retained its strong position with furniture manufacturers and has also launched a collection of fabrics specifically designed for the contract market.

In May 2001 the company was acquired by Crowson Fabrics Ltd and although certain functions have been consolidated at Uckfield, Design, Sales and Marketing functions retain strict autonomy within the Group in order to preserve Monkwell's valuable brand identity.

In addition to the Monkwell brand, the company also develops and markets The Design Archives offering prints, weaves, wallpapers and laces drawn from authentic eighteenth and nineteenth century archives and re-interpreted for today's interiors.