The Courtrai Chest is an oak chest that incorporates medieval carvings depicting scenes from the Franco-Flemish War, in particular the Battle of the Golden Spurs at Kortrijk (French: Courtrai) in Flanders. The chest is among the few surviving contemporaneous depictions of those historically-significant events.
The Courtrai Chest is a 17th-century oak construction but incorporates an older front-face measuring 102 cm by 71 cm, dating from the 14th century. This bears carvings in relief illustrating episodes from the Franco-Flemish War (1297–1305) from the Bruges Matins (13 May 1302) to the Battle of the Golden Spurs (11 July 1302).
The Chest was discovered around 1905 in the village of Stanton St John, Oxfordshire, which was a village largely owned by New College, Oxford. Found by Warden of the College, William Archibald Spooner, on a "Warden's Progress", it was in a barn of a college tenant where it was used as a feed bin for animals. Nothing is apparently known of the circumstances in which the Chest arrived in Oxfordshire. The Chest is kept at New College, Oxford, where it may be viewed by appointment.
A first Dendrochronological examination was executed in 1978 by the Research Laboratory for Archaeology and the History of Art at the University of Oxford. The upper plank of the front panel contained 274 growth rings, the lower plank 234. Comparing the pattern of these growth rings with those of other chests from Westminster Abbey and from Hesse dated the wood to 970 untill 1243. Since all growth rings of the sapwood and some of the heartwood were missing, the date of cutting the tree was put to 1270. As it was known from the Westminster Abbeys' chests that there was usually 50 years between cutting the tree and effectively using the wood, the front panel of the Courtrai chest was dated to short after the battle of the Golden Spurs.
A second Radiocarbon dating examination was done in 1987. Samples with a diameter of 0.2 mm were taken from the eldest and youngest growth ring. The sample of the youngest growth ring was dated between 1220 and 1480 with the highest probalility at 1280. In 1997 further dendrochronological research revealed that the pattern of the growth rings linked the wood of the front panel to South Sweden.
In 1997-2001 it was speculated that the Courtrai chest arrived in Stanton St John through John St John. St John had participated in the Franco-Flemish war, he had been captured in 1297 by Robert II of Artois. After paying his ransom he returned to England where he was involved in the negotations between the English king Edward I and the Count of Flanders about further participation in the war. Right after the battle of the Golden Spurs the chest, picturing the defeat of the same Robert II of Artois in the battle, may have been sent to him containing some gifts to stimulate the signing of a treaty between England and Flanders.
A full-sized reconstruction of the original is displayed at the Kortrijk 1302 Museum in Belgium where it is known as the "Oxford Chest" (Kist van Oxford). This reproduction comprises a reconstruction of the whole chest including the stiles or legs supporting it, as would have been present in its original form but are missing from the remains of the original.
Media related to Chest of Courtrai at Wikimedia Commons
