Historic chest linked to Somerset’s Hungerford dynasty to go under the hammer
A rare Medieval chest previously owned by the Hungerford family and housed in their ancestral home of Farleigh Castle in Somerset, is heading to auction.
“The chest dates from c. 1480 and is an exceptionally rare survivor”, says David Houlson, Oak Furniture Consultant to Woolley and Wallis auctioneers.
“It is extraordinarily rare for any piece of furniture from the 15th century to survive in its entirety. This remarkable example retains not only its front, but also its original sides, back and lid, which is a testament to its enduring craftsmanship. Even more exceptional is that comparable examples are seldom found outside of churches, or have long since been secured in museums, or prestigious private collections. To encounter such a piece on the open market is virtually unprecedented and this is a truly rare opportunity to acquire a work of furniture that has remained intact for over 500 years.”
The chest was owned by the Hungerford family at Farleigh Castle from 1377. They were one of the most powerful landowning dynasties in Somerset from the late 14th to the 17th century, with Farleigh Castle being their family seat. Sir Thomas Hungerford was the first recorded Speaker of the House of Commons and his son Walter, the 1st Lord Hungerford, became Treasurer of England. It was later housed at Abbey Church House, an Elizabethan Mansion in Bath.
For 300 years they shaped the political, military and societal life of Somerset and environs, their wealth and prominence leaving a lasting mark on the region. Unfortunately for them, later generations evoked scandal, which led to eventual financial ruin and the sale of Farleigh Castle in 1686. However, the Hungerfords continue to be remembered as one of the most significant families in the West Country’s medieval and early modern history.
The chest has been identified as part of a distinctive group of decorated pieces originating around Lincoln, with surviving examples in Glentham, Fillingham and Ewerby churches. A related chest in the Victoria and Albert Museum, donated by Robert Mond F.S.A., was traced to a farmhouse near Stamford, Lincolnshire. Furniture historian R.W. Symonds has further suggested that many of these chests may have been crafted in a single workshop in Watford, Northamptonshire.
The chest will be offered in a sale titled Age of Oak, Carpets & textiles sale on Thursday October 2nd, 2025 with an estimate of £8,000-£12,000 (lot 924).
