One of the most striking features of well made Windsor furniture from the preindustrial period is the dramatic angles formed by the legs in relation to the seat, generally referred to as splay. The primary joint used in the framing of Windsor chairs is the round mortise and tenon. The legs are socketed into the seat and the stretchers are socketed into the legs, all using the round mortise and tenon. The purpose of the stretchers is to add strength and stability to the leg frame structure. Considering the splay of the legs it appears the stretchers would be placed in tension in order to restrain the splayed legs from spreading apart even more, especially when the weight of the sitter is placed in the chair. Using X-ray analysis it is the intent of this paper to determine if the exact oppposite condition is actually at work in Windsor furniture; that the stretchers are purposely placed in compression during the initial assembly of the chair. Using stretcher compression as a method of framing goes a long way to overcoming the problem of creating a stable and enduring undercarriage in a form that utilizes leg splay as a design element. -- ICCROM