Museum name: Boscobel House. This museum is located in Codsall Wood in the middle of England and is two miles away from where my mother grew up.
Date of Visit: 7/11/18
Artifact adventure
Section: The artifact was a chest made from a tree King Charles II used to hide in. They placed the chest in the parlour of Boscobel House .
Type of material the artifact was made from: It was made from wood from the oak tree where King Charles II hid from Oliver Cromwell and his troops. The oak tree was in the middle of the woods next to Boscobel House. The oak tree is from the 17th century although the tree that I saw was is a replacement grown from an acorn of the original oak
How the artifact looks and feels: Because the artifact was over 400 years old I wasn’t allowed to touch it, but because the chest was made out of wood I think it would feel smooth. There were carvings in the wood so I imagine it would have ridges where the chest maker had carve a scene. The carvings included a picture of King Charles II peeping out of the oak tree where he hid.
What might it have been used for?: The tree was used to hide King Charles II. The chest was used to store items.
Where might it have been used ?: The wood from the tree was used on the farm to provide heat and fire. The wood was also used to construct buildings and for the chest.
Who might have used it?: King Charles II used it to hide. Farmers used the wood as lumber. Currently, the English Heritage organization uses the house and the tree as a historical tourist attraction.
What does the Artifact tell us about the culture it was used in?: The tree was used to hide catholics because it was illegal to be catholic at the time. The chest was used for storage and shows that people had to use resources in multiple ways as they did not have current technology
What does the artifact tell us about the owner or the maker?: After the tree died the owners of the house made it into a chest most likely to keep the story of King Charles II alive.
Is there a Similar item used today?: My family has a chest which my great grandma passed down to my great aunt that will one day get passed down to me.