ABSTRACT
In 1994 the fragmentary remains of a boy’s doublet were found under the aĴic floorboards of 26a East St Helen Street, Abingdon (Plate 5, above).1 The practice of placing domestic artefacts in wall cavities, next to doors, in chimney spaces or between floors has been studied by a range of scholars and the act of concealment has been linked to a wish to seek protection against evil spirits.2 As Dinah Eastop has discussed the practice of concealing objects, including this doublet, in her essay in this volume, the topic will not be discussed here.3 The key point is that puĴing the doublet under the floorboards ensured the survival of a very rare example of clothing worn by a boy, aged about five or six, who may have lived in the house in the early seventeenth century. At first glance the crumpled doublet is not readily accessible as a historical document, yet it has the potential to be an eloquent source of information about the clothing worn by the middling sort. It can provide information about cut and construction that is rarely recorded in wriĴen records, as well as examples of English cloth that was produced for the domestic market. At
this time Abingdon was a Berkshire market town and river port and from 1556 it was an incorporated borough whose economy was based on weaving and a range of associated trades such as dyeing and finishing.4 By drawing on this context, this paper will explore the ways in which one small object can provide brief insights into the production and consumption of textiles as part of daily life in Abingdon.
