Cloth Seal, Norwich Weavers' Company Seal, 1691, Image & Found by StuE.
Found at Foxham, Wiltshire, 22 x 20mm, 4.3g.
NO / RWI / CH // CB / CC(W)H / CGBL / L(C)
A Norwich cloth seal with the letters in a well known style:- NO / RWI / CH on one side and the other side shows the surname initial of the 12 wardens of Norwich for that particular year, CB / CCWH / CGBL / LC
These surname initials match those for the year 1691 as recorded in the Norwich Mayor's Court Book held at the Norfolk Records Office in Norwich, Vol.25 (fol. 277):-
William Copman, George Bayfield, William Cockman, Rich Witherington, John Cowell, John Howes, Nick Chamberlayne, James Garrett, William Barker, Nathaniel Lubbocke, Henry Lincoln and James Coolinge. The first six wardens are for Norwich and the last six are for the rest of Norfolk. This transcription by Ursula Priestley can be found on p.413 of Provenanced Leaden Cloth Seals by Geoffrey Egan, Sub-Department of Medieval Archaeology, University College, University of London. submitted for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy, 1987. Note that Egan puts Rich Witherington before John Cowell in the order they appear on the seals he has examined whereas they are reversed on this seal.
See Nos.81-85 Figs.21-22, Egan, Lead Seals and Related Items in the British Museum.
Also see the 'Worsted Reformed' seals on this Gallery that were attached to the other end of these cloths.
