CLOTH SEAL

A Post-Medieval lead alloy cloth seal. Originally a two-disc seal with a connecting strip, the strip and second disc have been lost leaving a scar which has torn away part of the raised rim of the surviving disc.

On the reverse of the disc is the stump of a rivet in the centre, although this is worn and there is now no trace of a stamp. A thin raised line runs across the middle of the reverse of the disc, either side of the rivet; this was formed when the cloth seal was originally made in the mould.

On the front of the remaining disc is a castle (with a domed tower either side of the central part of the building and a third tower behind) which is the mark for Norwich; there are also possible faint traces of a lion passant underneath. Seals on Norwich cloths appear to include the lion, but cloths from the rest of Norfolk appear to omit it. There is no evidence for any lettering on the seal, although most Norwich seals originally had an encircling inscription or a letter to each side.

Compare NMS-5A71D7, NMS-F42324, NMS-F3F445 and NMS-43AB36.

This cloth seal was seen by Geoff Egan, who confirmed its dating as late 16th to early 17th century. It was probably issued in either Norwich or Norfolk, and may have been an alnage seal, confirming that the cloth had been inspected and that the tax due had been paid.