Both local and imported textiles were present in Perth and Kinross in the Middle Ages. There is written evidence for cloth being made in Perth as far back as the 12th century (Duncan 1975, 489–90). By the early 15th century, cloth was a significant export from the region, although it was not until the 16th century that it overtook the trade in raw wool. Most of the cloth produced in Perth and Kinross was probably made from wool, but there is also some evidence for the making of linen.
A number of different activities and trades were involved in cloth production. Excavations at Perth High Street revealed hints about the initial processes by which fibres were prepared (Dransart et al 2012, 71). An item thought to have been used as a flax-breaking mallet and some iron spikes probably for preparing wool or vegetable fibres were found in Perth. It should be noted that hand carding is not thought to have been used in Scotland before the late 14th century. Further evidence about the initial preparation of textile fibres would be of great interest.
The creation of yarn through spinning seems to have taken place in and around medieval homes. This was probably mostly women’s work, and has left little trace in the documentary record. Medieval spindle whorls have been uncovered from rural and urban sites, although the burgh of Perth has produced a particular concentration (Dransart et al 2012; Smith et al 2011, 129–34). Stone, bone and wood spindle whorls were all found in medieval contexts in Perth, as were a small number of wooden spindles. Drop spindles seem to have been the normal method for creating yarn in medieval Perth and Kinross. Any evidence for the presence of spinning wheels would be highly significant. It has been suggested that drop spindles both gave greater control regarding the twist in the yarn and, being portable, did not restrict the spinner to one place (Leadbeater 1976; Jones and Stallybrass 2000).
In late medieval Scottish towns loom weaving was a largely male occupation. By the 16th century Perth’s weavers were an incorporated trade, and for a time had representation on the burgh council (Paton 2010). It is likely that different gender patterns regarding weaving existed earlier in the Middle Ages, and may have continued in upland Perth and Kinross into the post-medieval period. Surprisingly little physical evidence for medieval looms has survived from Perth, perhaps because components were reused (Dransart et al 2012, 73). It is thought that both more old-fashioned warp-weighted looms and newer horizontal looms were used in Scottish towns in the Middle Ages. Some relatively small finds from Perth provide evidence for warp-weighted looms, including several pin-beaters and a sword-beater, with both tools being used to beat the weft while weaving on a warp-weighted loom (Dransart et al 2012). Textiles from Perth High Street have also provided evidence for tablet weaving, which was generally used to make narrow bands of decoration (Dransart et al 2012, 43–6). Further interdisciplinary research into weaving in medieval Perth and Kinross, using evidence from extant textiles, other small finds and written records should be a priority.
The use of dye in medieval Perth and Kinross is another topic for research. In 1979 dye analysis was undertaken on a selection of textiles excavated on Perth High Street (Dransart et al 2012, 12–4). A significant proportion of the textiles were found to be undyed and to have had very little finishing, which is indicative of plainer and cheaper cloth. However, others had been dyed, often with madder. It is likely that dyeing took place on the outskirts of settlements. Interdisciplinary research, including the study of property records, may help to locate sites where dyeing took place. An interdisciplinary approach may also help us understand where cloth was finished, and in particular where fulling took place, an activity that might be expected to leave a degree of archaeological evidence.
Significant evidence for sewing and tailoring has been found in Perth. Shears, scissors and needles, both metal and bone, were discovered during the Perth High Street excavations (Dransart et al 2012, 74–6). Written records indicate that both men and women sewed professionally in medieval Scotland. By the 16th century tailors had become one of Perth’s incorporated trades, and a proportion of the trade’s records have survived from this date (Perth and Kinross Archives, MS70). As with many activities in medieval Scotland, more understanding of sewing outside of urban contexts would be of considerable interest.