shoes&pattens8

38

Shoes and Pałłens

toes are almost invariably pointed, sometimes with quite exaggerated ‘poulaines’; low-cut shoes outnumber ankle-shoes and boots; and latchets and buckles are the only fastening types definitely identified. The most distinctive item, apparently unparalleled either in earlier or in later deposits, is a large ankle-shoe with a baggy, moss-stuffed ‘poulaine’ (Fig. 60). It has no topband or heel-stiffener and was madę symmetrically in two parts: the quarters, which were joined by a vertical seam at the heel, were sewn to the vamp with a single seam running continuously across the instep from one side to the other. This form of construction, which leaves no natural opening at the side or vamp throat, removes the need for fastening, and so it is almost certain that the shoe was wom as a slip-on. The metal fittings, one of iron, the other of lead alloy, which are rivetted through the leather, are badly corroded but seem to have been ornamental studs rather than buckles.

During the twenty or thirty years that elapsed between the deposition of this group and the deposition of the later Swan Lane and Trig Lane groups important changes in style and construction seem to have taken place. Broad, rounded toes once morę returned to fashion for shoes of every kind - although moss stuffing was some

times still used to give a morę even profile and to keep the toe of the shoe in shape - and ankle-shoes or boots again came to outnumber by far the low-cut shoes. This is demonstrated by Tables 10 and 11, where it can be seen that at both Trig Lane and Swan Lane buckled or latchet-fastened shoes of the same generał type as found in the late 14th century, but without ‘poulaines’, are a tiny com-

approx.

Table 10. Shoes (all sizes) from Swan Lane, early/mid 15th century.

	Buckie	Front- laced	Side- laced	Front- latchet	Side- latchet	Buckie or latchet	Not known	Total
Shoe	2	—	—	—	1	—	—	3
Ankle-shoe	8	1	—	—	—	—	1	10
Boot	5	—	16	—	—	—	—	21
Not known	10	2	25	—	-	1	37	75
Total	25	3	41	-	1	1	38	109

Table 11.	Shoes (all sizes) from Trig Lane,			early/mid 15th century.
	Buckie	Front- laced	Side- laced	Front- latchet	Side- latchet	Buckie or latchet	Not known	Total
Shoe	2	_	_	—	2	4	3	11
Ankle-shoe	38	5	36	—	—	—	15	94
Boot	4	—	73	—	—	—	5	82
Not known	32	5	80	-	-	3	52	172
Total	76	10	189	_	2	7	75	359