Black Wool Felt Hat, reputed to have belonged to Oliver Cromwell

This large circular black felt hat is a rare survival from the 17th century. It has been passed down through Cromwell’s family as having belonged to him; family tradition has it that he wore this hat at the dissolution of the Rump Parliament in 1653.

The size of the hat may seem impractical, but it would have helped keep the weather off. It was also a social and fashion statement in an age when fabric was expensive, as it was hand made. The size of the hat emphasised the wealth and importance of the wearer!