Many OS will be familiar with the famous and magnificent Wintour Red and Wintour White vestments, embroidered by Helena Wintour in the 17th century. Now a third Wintour vestment has been identified- the so-called Spangled Stuffe Suit missing since Helena's death in 1670.

It was left by Helena Wintour not to the Jesuits but to her goddaughter, Nell Atmore, in her will of 1670. This beautifully embroidered chasuble is decorated with Helena’s characteristic flowers and Jesuit monograms, and scattered all over with bright gold spangles, or sequins, giving the garment its name. It can only be presumed that descendants of Nell Atmore left it to the Jesuits in the Worcester Mission of St George’s- the oldest Jesuit mission in the country- where it remained until the mission was handed over to the local diocese in the 1980s. The chasuble was then sent to Stonyhurst, where it was put into store.

Recent work cataloguing and photographing the historic vestments at the College brought the Spangled Suit to light, where its quality and stylistic similarity with the Wintour Red and White became obvious. Research was carried out, and expert textile historians consulted, and the consensus was that this was indeed the white chasuble identified in Helena’s will. Remarkably, the chasuble is in its original condition, never having suffered the heavy-handed restoration of the Red and White sets in the 1850s. This makes is a rare survival indeed, and it is in relatively good condition although expensive conservation work is required to secure fraying silk and loose sequins. The College’s Palate Society held a successful and highly amusing Quiz Evening in Christmas Term to raise funds for the materials required, and trained needlework conservators will undertake the work this summer.

Helena Wintour’s father and uncle, Robert and Thomas Wintour, were both executed for their part in the Gunpowder Plot, when she was about five years old. Unlike most female relatives of the disgraced Plotters, she did not seek sanctuary overseas, but remained in Worcestershire, living a life of prayer, charitable works and needlework. The family home was raided after the Gunpowder Plot, and all traces of Catholic worship removed or destroyed, including the family collection of chalices and vestments. Helena’s life work seems to have been replacing these lost vestments. She also left the Jesuits a large sum of money to buy Evenlench Farm, near her home, in the hope that they could run a secret school there. Evidence exists that the school was in operation by 1700. It is possible that her vestments were in use at the school as well as in the Mission.

The Wintour Red and White vestments along with many other historical chasubles and copes will shortly be returned to the College from the Whitworth Gallery in Manchester, where they have been on loan since 2000.