Detail of buff coat, 1631–1670, III.1929. Royal Armouries, CC BY 4.0

 

This buff coat is made of oil-tanned bovine leather. Buff coats were usually worn under a breastplate and backplate by soldiers in the 17th century. Because they were tough, they offered some protection on the battlefield. This one came from the armoury at Littlecote House in Wiltshire, and forms part of the largest single-surviving collection of buff coats in the world.

 

This image is part of our Up Close online exhibition, which was made possible with funding from The National Lottery Heritage Fund. Thanks to National Lottery players, we have been able to use digital to enable our audiences to explore our collection in new and exciting ways.