Strict regulation was ensured that all the different Norwich-made cloths were of the required quality. Systems were operated in the individual craft guilds and the Stranger communities.

There were over 100 craft guilds in late medieval Norwich. Although less powerful than the mighty the Guild of St George, they looked after their own member’s interests. From each guild two freemen were charges with enforcing regulations relating to standard of workmanship and apprenticeship. The Norwich Snapdragon was associated with the Guild of St George.

Senior experienced members were appointed as wardens and they enforced rules relating to manufacture, finishing and sale. Cloths were inspected both on the looms (where lead seals were eventually attached to cloths which complied with the regulations by ‘printers’) and in the Seale Halls where they had to be sold. Within three days of it being cut from the loom, the finished piece had to be taken by the weaver to the Seale Hall. Here it was draped over a wooden frame known as a ‘raw perche’ and examined for all shortcomings e.g. broken threads, doubleshots, knots. If more than a certain number of faults was found the weaver was fined. Faults were marked with red chalks. Cloths were not allowed to progress until the next stage (i.e. fulling or finishing) until they complied. At each stage.e.g. dyeing, the relevant seal had to be applied. Then the cloths came back to the hall for the final inspection and seal before despatch for sale at home or abroad.