Heritage Wool Trail

Glossary of Unusual Words

GLOSSARY

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Wool Stapler /  Wool Sorter – someone who separates the wool into different grades and qualities

Wool Combing - straightening long fibres and removing shorter ones.

Carding - turning clean wool from staple to sliver form and separating the fibres.

Pattern Book maker - made patterns for wool weaving.

Fulling + Fulling Mill – fulling is a step in clothmaking which involves the cleansing of cloth (particularly wool) to get rid of oils, dirt, and other impurities. After industrialisation, this process tool place in a water mill.

Tucking (a part of Fulling) – the process, carried out by Tuckers, of stretching out the finished fabric by attaching it to racks using:

Tenter Hooks -   hooks that were fixed at regular intervals along big wooden tenter racks or frames. The line of holes where the tenterhooks had been would remain in the finished blankets and were accepted as a necessary part of the production process.

Finisher – carried out processes on the finished yarn or fabric that improved the look and the feel of the item, such as brushing, raising the nap, shearing off the nap to make the material smooth, washing then drying again to tighten the weave.

Serge - is a durable cloth with diagonal lines or ridges on both sides (twill weave). Often used in making military uniforms, suits and greatcoats. It is made from a long fibre wool combined with a yarn made from a shorter fleece.

Felting -  is a process whereby wool is matted, condensed and pressed to form a non-woven material. 

Burrage Plot – The land attached to a Burgage or Burrage House - usually a long and narrow strip with a narrow street frontage.

Fellmongery - the selling of animal hides and skins. Also included curing and preparing the skins for tanning.

Fellmonger – one who sells animal hides and skins. They also cured and prepared animal skins for tanning.

Tannery – the building where tanning took place.

Tanner – a worker in a tannery who turned animal hide into leather.

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