Panelled chest of oak, with panelled lid, chip-carved, the main panels with double, stylised hearts. English, 1640-60, 76/2003

Panelled chest with panelled lid, chip-carved on the upper front and side rails with lunettes and on the front stiles with anthemion; the three front panels chip-carved with doubled, stylised hearts; the single side panels chip-carved with a rhombus containing a floral roundel; the two back panels plain. The lower front and side rails and muntins with scratch moulding and chip carving. With a lock (modern).

Panelled construction on all four sides and the lid which is held on two straps hinges (replacing the original ring hinges). The bottom (replaced) consists of four wide (elm?) boards running front to back, which rest on a plank nailed up into the side rails.

Modifications
Back right foot replaced; added, nailed slats to the back right leg, the back bottom rail and across both back panels.

Bequeathed by J.C.Padwick

Bequeathed by J.C.Padwick of 29 North Street, Horsham, Sussex (a collector of textiles, prints, drawings, ceramics and furniture). Three pieces of oak furniture were selected from his collection for the Museum collections and 6 for Circulation. RF 57/2713

Domestic chests were often used for storing clothing, bedding and linen in the 17th century, and are frequently recorded near bedchambers or standing at the foot of a bed. Chests of panelled construction with carved decoration, like this one, were middle-status products during the 16th and 17th centuries, being robust and carved with a wide variety of ornament. Designs for carving varied from area to area. The choice of motifs on this one, especially the inverted hearts on the three front panels, suggest that it was made in the north of England, possibly Cumbria.

On long term loan to Turton Tower, Burton

CIRC.1-1958