Fulling and Finishing

After weaving, cloth had to be fulled to shrink and strengthen the fabric, providing greater resistance to wear and weather. The process originally involved immersing the cloth in a trough filled with water and chemicals (such as fuller’s earth and urine), which helped remove any grease or dirt, and compressing it by foot or hand. The introduction of water-powered fulling mills in the later 12th century mechanised and speeded up the process, with two wooden hammers replacing human effort.