Research from documentary sources, pattern books and surviving fabrics bear testimony to the huge variety of types of cloth prepared in Norwich over the centuries. Norwich textiles researchers have worked to discover the structure and characteristics of the individual fabrics and to chart their use over time. Sometimes the name of the fabric was reinvented for a new market, in other cases the type of cloth referred to by a single name changed over time.

Cloths may be categorised by name, method of making or cloth structure. In the case of the Norwich industry attempts to categorise cloth types are complicated by overlapping and unusual terminology: it has therefore been decided to present preliminary results of this work are in the following roughly three glossaries to account for development over time, pending full publication:

Cloths made in Norwich to the 15th century

Cloths made in Norwich during the 16th and 17th centuries

Cloths made in Norwich in the 18th and 19th centuries

These glossaries are not exhaustive; anyone wishing for further information should address their enquiry to the research team at Carrow House.