The Burying in Woollen Acts 1666–80 were Acts of the Parliament of England (citation 18 & 19 Cha. 2. c. 4 (1666),[1][2] 30 Cha. 2. c. 3 (1678)[3] and 32 Cha. 2. c. 1 (1680)[4]) which required the dead, except plague victims and the destitute, to be buried in pure English woollen shrouds to the exclusion of any foreign textiles.[5]
| Act of Parliament | |
 | |
| Long title | An Act for Burying in Woollen onely. |
|---|---|
| Citation | 18 & 19 Cha. 2. c. 4
|
| Dates | |
| Royal assent | 18 January 1667 |
| Commencement | 25 March 1667 |
| Repealed | 28 July 1863 |
| Other legislation | |
| Repealed by | Statute Law Revision Act 1863 |
Status: Repealed | |
| Text of statute as originally enacted | |
| Act of Parliament | |
| |
| Long title | An Act for burying in Woollen. |
|---|---|
| Citation | 30 Cha. 2. c. 3 |
| Dates | |
| Royal assent | 15 July 1678 |
| Other legislation | |
| Repealed by | Burying in Woollen Act 1814 |
Status: Repealed | |
| Text of statute as originally enacted | |
| Act of Parliament | |
| |
| Long title | An Additionall Act for burying in Woollen. |
|---|---|
| Citation | 32 Cha. 2. c. 1 |
| Dates | |
| Royal assent | 10 January 1681 |
| Other legislation | |
| Repealed by | Burying in Woollen Act 1814 |
Status: Repealed | |
| Text of statute as originally enacted | |
Enforcement
It was a requirement that an affidavit be sworn in front of a justice of the peace (usually by a relative of the deceased), confirming burial in wool, with the punishment of a £5 fee for noncompliance. Burial entries in parish registers were marked with the word "affidavit" or its equivalent to confirm that affidavit had been sworn; it would be marked "naked" for those too poor to afford the woollen shroud.
The legislation was in force until 1814, but was generally ignored after 1770.[6] The 1666 Act was repealed by the Statute Law Revision Act 1863.[7]
Use in genealogy
Burial records so annotated can be a source of genealogical information, providing evidence of economic status and relationships that may be otherwise unavailable or ambiguous.[8][9]