Rennaissance in England For England the start of the 16th century and the reign of the Tudors marks

a dividing line between the Middle Ages and the modern era. Europe was being influenced by the development of free thought ,education and nationalism. The last being a powerful factor in the progress of each countrys furniture styles. Henry VII gave tremendous support to commerce and foreign trade and to cement allegiances with wealthy merchants rural gentry and yeoman farmers. A new middle class is being formed to enjoy innovations and improvements in living style. Furniture being at the forefront of this trend. During Henry VIIIs rule you have exposure to Italian artists and then after Wolsey Flemish and German designs. In the Elizabethan era houses are broken down and the new gentry build magnificent mansions.. Hardwick Hall etc The Gothic hall is replaced by the Main chamber and dining rooms , parlour, long galleries and other private rooms are included in the plan indicating an understanding of privacy and furniture and interiors reveal an attempt to create comfort. Newly built house would have a wainscoted dining parlour , one or more sitting rooms ,a long gallery for exercise in wet weather where some of the best furniture was kept. Carpenters for churches and small mansions are different from the ones used for large mansions and castles. European immigrant carpenters being used also by royalty. Designs percolate through pattern books such as those of Cornelius Floris In the first half of the 16th century furniture is still small in numbers. chair or chayre as it is referred to being designated only to the master of the house. The stool being the standard form of seating. The chest is an important furniture item-the coffer as it is called. The cofferer was the most skilled craftsman. There was the traveling chest covered in leather and tooled and gilt like book binding. This was important storage for books, papers valuables and clothes. Early examples had elaborate locking systems. A significant type of furniture was the court cupboard. This was an open structure of 3 tiers used for display of plate and pewter. At a later stage when enclosed for the storage of food. These were found in the dining parlour and hall. Hall and parlour cupboards had either the upper stage closed or both stages enclosed. A press was a cupboard where the the vertical shutters extended fully and it had shelves and occasional drawers for linen or pegs for clothes. A side low table with one or more shutters was called a hutch . Tudor England inherited the long refectory table from the Medieval times. This was a long table with rectangular top and fixed simple supports tied by stretchers used as footrests. Fom the 1550s carving appeared on the legs and on the frieze below the table top.

On rare occasions inlay in holly and bog oak. When the tables were not in use they were covered in turkey work-heavy fabric woven with pile in imitation of carpets from Asia minor and asia. Similair pieces of cloth were used for drapes for chairs backs and seats. Table legs were carved in baluster forms or bulbous shapes(mellon bulb)-carved at the top and a gadroon at the bottom with acanthus leaf.,the latter to large proportion during the Elizabethan era and then getting flatter after 1600/(mellon bulb) The vase and bulbous forms show Flemish and German origins. Tables had strecher rails at the bottom which acted as a footrest to keep feet of the floor rushes. There was the folding table that had a hinged top and a leg that pivoted. The draw table where panels placed under the top could be used to double the length used in the dining room. Later on during the stuart(Jacobean) period gate leg tables were introduced. Marble top tables with the tops from Italy and frames made in England can be seen in Aston Hall. The high table and masters chair were a feature which remained as a symbol of lordship in the hall though used for only ceremonial occasions. The bed was the most valuable piece of furniture. It had costly hangings and towards 1500 canopy suspended from the ceiling replaced by a carved or inlaid headboard and two four carved posts with robust bulbs with robust bulbs and anthemion carving. Social taboos were relaxed and during the Elizabethan period the number and variety of chairs increased from the box chair to a joined chair where there was some attempt to follow the shape of the body . The settle with Tudor carving is a type of seating where panels are carved in Tudor roses scrolls dolphins interlaced strapwork and linenfold. 3 types of chairs The early box type chair which was the medieval box with raised back and arms and had a box seat compartment for storage of linen The X framed chair with its woodwork completely clothed in damask or velvet with loose cushions resting on a web support fixed to each side to the rails of the frame., fringed in gold- chairs of this kind were used by HenryVIII . Early Elizabethan era where members of her coterie ordered similair chairs which were carved and gilded and painted. The turned chair was the third. This was the basic form of seating in Elizabethan England. It was constructed of separate pieces socketed together and the turning was of the knobbed or ringed variety. Its construction was more open and the seat was of ample dimensions to take voluminous clothing of the time. The back was raked for comfort .Usually the front two legs were turned and the back legs were plain. Stretchers acted as footrests.The links with France were close especially during Henry VIII reign and the caqurtoire is similair to French examples.-circa 1535. Turned chairs with over reaching arms with carved scrolls on the crest and side brackets is a typical to this period.

Later in the 17th century chairs with straight uprights and stretchers with padded backs and seats upholstered with fringe are found commonly called Farthingale chairs on account of the hoped skirts used by women at that time. In terms of ornamentation early in early tudor furniture renaissance motifs were used rather loosely especially seen in the appearance of carved medallion heads known at the time as Romayne work and other pseudo classical motifs. Later there were 3 distinct ornamental features particularly in Elizabethan furniture. Strapwork an intricate arabesque ornament carved in low relief usually in repeated patterns, bulbs on table legs and beds and inlay in floral and chequer patterns composed of such woods such as ebony, holly bog oak ,sycamore box and poplar. Joiners also made use of chestnut cedar and walnut. Grander houses used these timbers such as holly and bog oak simpler houses and churches used oak.