Oldham Historical Research Group

Scan and page transcript from:
Historical Sketches of Oldham by Edwin Butterworth
Pub. 1856

Historical Sketches of Oldham by Edwin Butterworth

conditioned than ordinary, often wore woollen cloaks, seal-skin girdles, and daggers by their side. The dress of the women comprised fancy frieze (woollen) gowns, worsted kirtles or upper gowns, cassocks, partlets or ruffs for the neck, and felt hats; such as were of the richer class generally added silk gowns, damasked upper gowns, taffety (thin silk) aprons, ornamental girdles, mufflers or veils, silk hats, and tammy mantles or thin woollen cloaks. Felt hats, some of them shaped into the form of bonnets, were generally worn by the females of that day.

More houses were of stone than was usually the case, owing to the comparative abundance of that material amongst the hills; but many yeomanry and cottage houses were principally built with wood. Those of the better order had large porches at the entrance, and immediately beyond halls and parlours. Coldhurst Hall, near North-moor, is still in some measure a specimen of this description of houses. In this instance we meet with a stone edifice once containing timber frame walls, the laths of which being stuck over with rough clay plaster, was afterwards whitened with fine mortar, and this last beautified with figures, and other curious devices. There were several plaster carvings of the royal arms and other symbolic ornaments visible in Coldhurst Hall a few years ago, but they have been destroyed. The entrance to Bent Hall, near \Vest-street, was marked by a stately gateway and a spacious porch. The original mansion of Horsedge Hall contained beams of timber of considerable size. The great attachment manifested in the sixteenth century to gabled fronts, is evidenced in the style of building of the old house of Dirtcar.

The cottages of the working population were mostly formed of rough mis-shapen stone, and rude pieces of timber, plastered over with clay, and thatched with

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