The slow arrival of renaissance influence on English furniture: a study of the 1519 Silkstede, Shanklin and the 1539 Garstang, Cirencester chests

The article makes a detailed study of two dated 16th century chests. It is argued that the Thomas Silkstede chest now in Shanklin was made by French craftsmen in Winchester in 1519, whereas the Garstang chest was made in Cirencester in 1539. The carving of the former is in full 'first renaissance' style, whereas the latter has a mixture of gothic, heraldic and renaissance decorative features. The two chests are presented as illustrating the very slow arrival of renaissance influence on English furniture. Comparisons are made with other pieces of 16th century English and French furniture