THIS PAPER DOCUMENT IS BEING SUBMITTED PURSUANT TO RULE 901 (d)
                       OF REGULATION S-T


                          UNITED STATES
                SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
                       Washington, DC 20549

                           Schedule 13G

            Under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934
                     (Amendment No.    3   )*
          

                            Culp, Inc.   
                         (Name of Issuer)

             Common Stock,Par Value $ .05 per share   
                  (Title of Class of Securities)

                            230215105        
                          (CUSIP Number)
     
     
     
     
     Check the following box if a fee is being paid with
     this statement [].  (A fee is not required only if the
     filing person: (1) has a previous statement on file
     reporting beneficial ownership of more than five
     percent of the class of securities described in Item 1;
     and (2) has filed no amendment subsequent thereto
     reporting beneficial ownership of five percent or less
     of such class.)  (See Rule 13d-7.)
     
     * The remainder of this cover page shall be filled out
     for a reporting person's initial filing on this form
     with respect to the subject class of securities, and
     for any subsequent amendment containing information
     which would alter the disclosures provided in a prior
     cover page.
     
     The information required in the remainder of this cover
     page shall not be deemed to be "filed" for the purpose
     of Section 18 of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934
     ("Act") or otherwise subject to the liabilities of that
     section of the Act but shall be subject to all other
     provisions of the Act (however, see the Notes).
     
     
     
          (Continued on the following page(s))
                       Page 1 of  5   Pages

                                                      Page 2 of 5

CUSIP NO.   230215105   

(1)  Names of Reporting Persons S.S. or I.R.S. Identification
     Nos. of Above Persons:

     First Union Corporation            56-0898180

(2)  Check the Appropriate Box if a Member of a Group (See
     Instructions)
     (a)                 [ ]
     (b)                 [ ]

(3)  SEC Use Only

(4)  Citizenship or Place of Organization:

     North Carolina


Number of Shares Beneficially Owned by Each Reporting Person
with:
(5)  Sole Voting Power               321,168  
(6)  Shared Voting Power           3,048,750  
(7)  Sole Dispositive Power             321,168  
(8)  Shared Dispositive Power         3,048,750  
      
(9)  Aggregate Amount Beneficially Owned by Each Reporting
     Person

     3,369,918

(10) Check if the Aggregate Amount in Row 9 Excludes Certain
     Shares (See Instructions)

     [ ]

(11) Percent of Class Represented by Amount in Row 9

     29.705 % (based on   11,344,577   shares outstanding on
               12/31/96)

(12) Type of Reporting Person (See Instructions)

          First Union Corporation (HC)

                                                      Page 3 of 5
Item 1(a) Name of Issuer:

         Culp, Inc.

Item 1(b) Address of Issuer's Principal Executive Offices:

         101 South Main Street
         Post Office Box 2686
         High Point, NC  27261-2686
     
Item 2(a) Name of Person Filing:

         First Union Corporation

Item 2(b) Address of Principal Business Office:

         One First Union Center
         Charlotte, North Carolina 28288-0137

Item 2(c) Citizenship:

         North Carolina

Item 2(d) Title of Class of Securities:

         Common Stock, Par Value $ .05 per share

Item 2(e) CUSIP Number:

         230215105 

Item 3      If this statement is filed pursuant to Rules 13d-1(b),
            or 13d-2(b), check whether the person filing is a:

            (g)[X]Parent Holding Company, in accordance with 
            section 240.13d-1(b) (ii) (G)

Item 4      Ownership.

            (a)Amount Beneficially Owned:          3,369,918     
            (b)Percent of Class:                     29.705% 
            Number of shares as to which such person has:
            (i)sole power to vote or to direct the vote
                  321,168  
            (ii)shared power to vote or to direct the vote
                3,048,750  
            (iii)sole power to dispose or to direct the
              disposition of      321,168  
            (iv)shared power to dispose or to direct the
              disposition of    3,048,750  

                                                      Page 4 of 5

Item 5      Ownership of Five Percent or Less of a Class.


Item 6      Ownership of More Than Five Percent on Behalf of
            Another Person.

            Not applicable

Item 7      Identification and Classification of the Subsidiary
            Which Acquired the Security Being Reported on by the
            Parent Holding Company.

            First Union National Bank of Virginia (BK)
            54-0211320

            First Union Corporation is filing this schedule
            pursuant to Rule 13d-1(b)(ii)(G) as indicated under
            Item 3(g).  The relevant subsidiaries are Evergreen
            Asset Management Group (IA), First Union National Bank
            of North Carolina (BK), and  First Union National Bank
            of Virginia(BK).  Evergreen Asset Management Group is
            investment advisor for mutual funds and other clients;
            the securities reported by this subsidiary are
            beneficially owned by such mutual funds or other
            clients.  The other First Union entities listed above
            hold the securities reported in a fiduciary capacity
            for their respective customers.


Item 8      Identification and Classification of Members of the
            Group.

            Not applicable

Item 9      Notice of Dissolution of Group.

            Not applicable

Item 10   Certification.

            By signing below, I certify that, to the best of my
            knowledge and belief, the securities referred to above
            were acquired in the ordinary course of business and
            were not acquired for the purpose of and do not have
            the effect of changing or influencing the control of
            the issuer of such securities and were not acquired in
            connection with or as a participant in any transaction
                        having such purposes or effect.


                                                      Page 5 of 5
Signature.

After reasonable inquiry and to the best of my knowledge and
belief, I certify that the information set forth in this
statement is true, complete and correct.

FIRST UNION CORPORATION 

February 3, 1997  
Date 



                                                                 
Signature

Dorothy F. Crowe,  Assistant Vice President & Compliance Officer