Cloth seals

These four cloth seals date to the early 18th century. Three were found close to the site in Magdalen Street where George and Samuel Coade operated their cloth-finishing trade. These would have been intended for application to the Coades' own cloths, bearing the family name and crest. The fourth, bottom left, shows the Royal Arms of England; seals of this type were sometimes gilded to make the product appear more prestigious. The application of seals such as these to cloth was part of a process of regulating its quality; cloth was inspected prior to export and faulty pieces rejected.

Acknowledgments: RAM Museum Exeter Archaeology