The Rolls Cabinet from Castle Rushen
Date made: 16th century
Description: This object is the Rolls Cabinet, which was once in the Rolls Office at Castle Rushen and later at the Rolls Office in Douglas. It is said to date from the 16th century.
The cabinet is framed and panelled in oak, in the manner of some Scottish aumbries. Cupboards of this generic type are usually fitted with pegs along the inside top back horizontal stile, for hanging clothes on. This example is not fitted in this way, and the function which tradition suggests for it, to hold the Government Rolls of Mann, seems totally supported by the cupboard's internal construction. The upper and lower shelves seem original to the cupboard (the central shelf and vertical divisions being later additions) and have rows of eroded iron nails which probably held wooden divisions, creating pigeon holes for the storage of documents.
The Rolls Office might be considered to be the record office of the government of the Island in this era. The laws and other matters were recorded on rolls of parchment, and stored in this cabinet under the control of the Clerk of the Rolls, an important administrative post for many years held by the Quayle family of Bridge House in Castletown.
Measurements: overall: 197.5 x 144 x 51 cm
Materials: oak
Object name: cupboard
Collection: Furniture Collection
ID Number: 1954-1194
Comments
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