Katharina Buczek
So, in an effort to boost wool sales and preserve linen for other local uses, the Parliament conceptualized “An Act for Burying in Wollen Only.”
Simply switching to wool burial shrouds in 1665 would have actually preserved over 1.9 million yards of linen that year– which would have been a massive win for England’s wool economy. However, the transition to a brand-new custom was not as seamless as Parliament had anticipated.
In fact, the switch could not have been more shocking to the country’s population. And even though exact compliance numbers with the new regulation are unknown, it is clear that Parliament was not satisfied– because, in 1677, even more stringent legislation was introduced.
This upgraded act required that written affidavits, conducted by two witnesses, be completed within eight days of burial and confirm that wool shrouds had been used. Clergy members were also required to document what burial fibers were used in a registry, and anyone who strayed from these regulations would be forced to face a hefty fine.
And to Parliament’s pleasure, this stricter approach worked. From 1682 to 1755, only eighteen of the five hundred and five graves at St. Lawrence’s Church in Cucklington were buried using linen.
This widespread compliance could have been due to various reasons. On the one hand, the tradition of linen burials may have only been cherished by older generations, thus making younger adults less resistant to adopting wool. On the other hand, the threat of even just a five-pound fine could have crippled many families back in the day.
Regardless of why the act worked, though, officials in England ultimately got their wish. And between 1679 and 1695, it is estimated that the country halted the importation of over twenty-three million yards of linen. This would have saved the nation about 2.5 million pounds.
By 1814, though, Parliament actually repealed the acts and eased up on linen restriction altogether. By that time, the English economy was much more robust and did not rely so heavily upon wool. So, cotton burials soon rose in popularity, and the forced tradition of wool shroud burials fell to the wayside.
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