Staff profile

Research topic

A cultural, scientific and technical study of the Durham lead cloth seal collection AD1450-1820

Abstract

Prior to 2009 there had been little material evidence of the cloth trade in County Durham during the 15th to 19th centuries; only two lead cloth seals recorded on the Portable Antiquities Scheme (PAS) had been discovered north of the County of Yorkshire. However, during the period 2009-2012 the author of this proposed research paper has recovered 266 lead cloth seals from the River Wear in Durham City, County Durham.

 It is apparent that these lead cloth seals are the largest river assemblage of such material from outside of London and are of crucial significance for understanding the cloth trade in the late medieval and post-medieval period. Not only do the small finds accentuate the level to which the primary industries such as wool production and textile manufacture were defined in Durham compared to the rest of Britain, but also the importance of merchants, trade and social hierarchy; during a period when life and fashion were undergoing transformation during a prolonged period of economic and social change.

 Initial observations suggest that the collection is made up of both English and imported continental cloth seals; this will require a deeper analysis of cloth seal collections held in museums based on the continent along with a wider reference to existing European academic research. An analysis of both textile imprints and surviving fibres of cloth will allow for comments to be made on the function and type of cloth in use. While local research, for example, the extensive Durham archives will highlight the role of regional institutions during the period AD 1450-1820, in the importation to, and consumption of the cloth in Durham.

 As the collection has not yet been researched, there exists an excellent opportunity to broaden our knowledge and understanding of several aspects of the cloth trade, at a regional, national and international level; while also strengthening existing dialogue between medieval archaeology and aspects of archaeological theory: during the late medieval, post-medieval and early modern periods.

Aims

The key aim of this proposed research is to identify the provenance and catalogue the Durham lead cloth seal collection. However, in order to avoid the narrow context of simply dating, providing descriptions and typologies of the individual cloth seals, it is proposed to place the cloth seals in a wider social context by looking to: 

1. Identify any trends and similarities with similar collections i.e. those in both the British Museum and the Salisbury and South Wiltshire Museum collections.
2. Suggest possible trade routes to Durham City – is this hanseatic material arriving from the continent via the North East coast or domestic cloth arriving via inland routes?
3. Identify who was responsible for the manufacture of the cloth, the types of cloth being produced and equally as important: who was responsible for its consumption in Durham.
4. Clarifying whether or not Durham was a ‘principal market for woolen cloth? 

Ultimately, the research will allow for comments to be made on trade networks, fashion choices and disposable incomes of those indirectly or directly linked to the Durham wool and cloth industries.

Papers

October 2013: The Forgotten Past: post-medieval small finds and their contributions to our understanding the past. A Portable Antiquities Scheme and Finds Research Group Conference: 'The Durham Cloth seal Assemblage: New revelations on the importance of merchants, trade and social hierarchy in the North East of England'.
 
June 2014: Diving in to Durham Study Day (part of Universities Week): 'Reading Objects: Case studies from the River Wear Assemblage'

Prizes/Awards

2012: Joint winner of the Geoff Egan prize for Finds Research. 'Artefact Report: late 14th century Pectoral Cross/Pilgrim Souvenir'. See: https://sites.google.com/site/frg7001700/httpwwwfrg700-1700orguk/the-geoff-egan-prize