Iron chest

This chest is the oldest piece of furniture in the Bank of England. It is mentioned in a 1735 book as ‘the great Iron Chest in the Parlour’. The chest has a false keyhole on the front, and fittings for two padlocks. The real keyhole is hidden in the lid of chest. When the key was turned, four huge iron bolts locked the lid in place. This made it extremely difficult to lever open. Chests like this were used before modern safes. People used them to store valuables, including gold and banknotes.