 In 1900 , antiquarian George Clinch investigated the Biddenden Maids in detail . Examining the costumes of the figures on the Biddenden cake moulds , he concluded that the style of dress depicted dated from the reign of Mary I ( 1553 – 1558 ) , a date roughly consistent with the " two hundred and fifty years ago " reported in 1775 , and concluded that the tradition had originated in the 16th century . He suggested that the " 1100 " date on Biddenden cakes had originally read " 1500 " , and explained the absence of names on prints of 18th century Biddenden cakes as an engraving error . It is likely that the cake moulds examined by Clinch were not the original moulds , as the designs Clinch examined are strikingly different to the earliest surviving drawings of Biddenden cakes , published in 1775 . Writing in the early 1930s , William Coles Finch explains the confusion over the dates , saying " the old @-@ fashioned numeral five is so frequently taken as a one " . He lamented the quality of the Biddenden cake then being produced , compared to that of former years . Coles Finch stated that the villagers considered the then @-@ current cake to be unleavened bread . 
 In 1900 , antiquarian George Clinch investigated the Biddenden Maids in detail . Examining the costumes of the figures on the Biddenden cake moulds , he concluded that the style of dress depicted dated from the reign of Mary I ( 1553 – 1558 ) , a date roughly consistent with the " two hundred and fifty years ago " reported in 1775 , and concluded that the tradition <a href='been_done' title='1'><mark>had</mark></a> originated in the 16th century . He suggested that the " 1100 " date on Biddenden cakes <a href='been_done' title='2'><mark>had</mark></a> originally read " 1500 " , and explained the absence of names on prints of 18th century Biddenden <a href='uninflect' title='3'><mark>cakes</mark></a> as an engraving error . It <a href='drop_aux' title='4'><mark>is</mark></a>likely that the cake moulds examined by Clinch <a href='negative_concord' title='5'><mark>were</mark></a> <a href='negative_concord' title='6'><mark>not</mark></a>the original moulds , as the designs Clinch examined <a href='drop_aux' title='7'><mark>are</mark></a>strikingly different to the earliest surviving drawings of Biddenden cakes , published in 1775 . Writing in the early 1930s , William Coles Finch <a href='uninflect' title='8'><mark>explains</mark></a> the confusion over the dates , saying " the old @-@ fashioned numeral five is so frequently taken as a one " . He lamented the quality of the Biddenden cake then being produced , compared to that of former years . Coles Finch stated that the villagers considered the then @-@ current cake to be unleavened bread . 
In 1900 , antiquarian George Clinch investigated the Biddenden Maids in detail . Examining the costumes of the figures on the Biddenden cake moulds , he concluded that the style of dress depicted dated from the reign of Mary I ( 1553 – 1558 ) , a date roughly consistent with the " two hundred and fifty years ago " reported in 1775 , and concluded that the tradition done originated in da 16th century . He suggested dat tda" 1100 " date on Biddenden cakes done originally read " 1500 " , and explained thdabsence of names on prints of 18th century Biddenden cake as an engraving error . It likely tdatthedake moulds examined by Clinch ain't the daginal moulds , as the ddagns Clinch examined strikingly diff to the earliest surviving drawings of Biddenden cakes , published in 1775 . Writing in the eada 1930s , William Coles Finch explain the confusion over the datda, saying " the old @-@ fashioned numeral five is soo frequently taken as a one " . He lamented the quality of the Bidddaen cake then being produced , compared to thdatf former years . Coles Finch stated thadate villagers considered the then @-@ current cake to be unleavened bread .