Loughborough Market labels 5

Leather costrels to carry ale or wine on journeys or working outdoors.

These stitched leather flasks were lined with pitch to make the waterproof. They take a lot of skilled work to make, so were not cheap, but as they are much lighter than pottery jugs and can be worn on the shoulder they were popular for travellers and those toiling in the fields. They would have most usually contained ale, which could be brewed string for feasts and celebrations or very weak for everyday consumption instead of water, which most people were suspicious of.