Loomweight

Ring-shaped (annular) loom weight with three crescent-shaped indentations. Weights made from baked clay held the warp threads on vertical looms tight, which made weaving easier. Cloth was woven from wool and also plants such as flax. English cloth was traded across Europe. Finds of clay loom-weights, bone pin-beaters and spindle whorls show that Londoners were spinning wool and weaving cloth, some to be used for clothing or in the home, cloth was also made to be traded.

There are some patches of burning on one side of this loom weight which may indicate the house, where it was used, burnt down.

This loom weight was made from local brickearth which could be found throughout Covent Garden, to the north of the Strand. The clay was shaped by hand before being fired to harden it. Different sizes and shapes of loom weights were used to make different types of cloth.