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Tuesday 28 June 2011

What Secrets in Your Drawers?


I followed my good friend Bertie's advice and while I was visiting friends in pretty Winchcombe this weekend, I stopped by to visit the Threads in Time permanent exhibition at Sudeley Castle which is in easy walking distance of the village. The castle itself is a wonderful, dreamy place within beautiful gardens loud with the shrieks of peacocks. Withing the grounds, too, is the village church that is the resting place of Queen Katharine Parr, fond step mother to Queen Elizabeth I. The whole castle is steeped in history - Henry VIII stopped here with Anne Boleyn and formulated the visitation of monasteries, beginning with a monastery nearby, which would eventually lead to the total dissolution of monastic like in England and result in the largest land grab known on these shores. I thought you might like to share this video describing the 16th century casket in Sudeley castle. There is a wonderful video as part of the exhibit, but unfortunately that is not available to show you - you must drag yourself along to see for yourself! What is so interesting about this chest are the number of secret drawers - and until you can see the video showing how they are withdrawn, you would never imagine their being there. I shall try to explain. Once the visible drawers are withdrawn, like any other chest of drawers which has two or more drawers side by side, there are vertical divides remaining. It is by gently pulling forward a divide - effectively withdrawing a supporting strut, that you realise it is a long handle on a wider drawer hidden behind the visible ones just removed. And what would have been put in these secret drawers? The Sudeley castle chest has quite a number - but they are not large at all - so perhaps coins or precious stones, or a key?

2 comments:

  1. It is fabulous J, I am glad you think that too! The video of the stumpwork box was so good, I watched it 3 times.
    Will have a look at your video now:))
    Have a good week with lots of sun!

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  2. I love this video - even thought the sound is off - the ingenuity of the mirror placement is astounding to me! Now I want to make something like that!

    julie

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