The Norfolk Vestment

The Norfolk Vestment, c. 17th Century

Current location: Ushaw College

Chasuble, stole and chalice veil

This set of Mass vestments was apparently found in 1811 concealed in a priest’s hole in a house belonging to the Duke of Norfolk, a leading member of a family regularly in trouble for its members’ recusancy. Although rose-pink (rosacea) has sometimes been used as a liturgical colour on Laetare Sunday in Lent and Gaudete Sunday in Advent, this relatively unusual colour might have been intended to disguise the vestments.

The Norfolk vestment reverses to a brownish-black fabric, underlining its multi-purpose, in this case the liturgical colour for saying a requiem Mass. Officially, Catholic families could not be buried in Anglican churchyards so funerals took place in secret or at night. Under these circumstances, multi-functional vestments made from several different ‘liturgical colours’ could be extremely useful. Each colour represents a different celebration in the year of the Church (for more information on the meaning of colours in the Catholic Church see UNDERSTANDING VESTMENTS on the home page).

Unusually made from wool in a plain weave fabric with a shiny finish, these vestments have simple appliqué ornamentation. The broad creamy-white band orphrey on the chasuble’s front extends over the shoulders to form a wide cross on the back. In contrast, the black face only has an outline cross and narrow strips suggesting an orphrey, similar to the crosses on the chalice veil. The current fiddle-shaped front, neck-opening and green-gold braid edging are probably later alterations.

The vestment was given to Ushaw College by a collector in the 1980s.

Front and back sides of the stole

Image: copyright of The Treasures of Ushaw College: Durham's Hidden Gem (Scala: 2015)

Artefact Information: copyright The Trustees of Ushaw College

Reference: 'A Hidden Faith: Recusant Liturgical Objects' by Dr Mary Brooks & Claire Marsland, in The Treasures of Ushaw College: Durham's Hidden Gem (Scala: 2015)