Duke of Norfolk’s Chair (Lambeth Palace Great Hall)

Norfolk’s chair is more than a piece of furniture—it is the stage for Cromwell’s assault. As Cromwell grabs Norfolk by the collar, he hauls him upward, and the chair’s legs scrape violently against the floor, its sturdy frame absorbing the force of the struggle. When Cromwell throws Norfolk back down, the chair absorbs the impact, its wooden seat a silent witness to the physical and political clash. The chair’s role is functional but symbolic: it represents the stability of the old order, and Cromwell’s attack is an attempt to upend it.

Norfolk’s sturdy wooden chair becomes a prop in the physical confrontation. As Cromwell seizes Norfolk by the collar and shakes him, the chair skids backward across the floor, its legs scraping harshly against the stone. The force of Cromwell’s push sends Norfolk crashing back into the seat, emphasizing the violence of the moment. The chair’s movement underscores the sudden shift from verbal sparring to physical aggression, and its final position—askew and unstable—mirrors the disruption of the court’s fragile order.

The Duke of Norfolk’s Chair is overturned in the initial scuffle as Cromwell is rushed by the mob. The chair’s flight across the floor is a visceral moment, symbolizing the sudden and violent upheaval of the Council Chamber’s order. While the chair itself is not a direct target of the assault, its displacement reflects the chaos and brutality of the event. The chair’s role is primarily symbolic, representing the disruption of the court’s formalities and the physicality of the political conflict. Its overturning underscores the shock value of the ambush, as even the furniture becomes a casualty of the violence.