If you have ever been to a church, then chances are that you have sat in a church pew. A church pew is one of the most ubiquitous kinds of church furniture you will find. Despite their wide spread popularity, there are actually many different kinds of church pews. For example. some pews feature cushioned seating for a more comfortable church experience, some even feature footrests. However, some are simple and offer no bonuses apart from a wooden bench.
Another interesting fact about pews is that they are were not always a feature of a church. In fact, for the first 1,000 years of church history, churches did not contain pews. Rather, church goers simply stood and were free to walk around and mingle with other church goers. The first pews emerged in the 13th century in England. They were originally made of stone, though by the 15th century wooden pews were more common. Not long after, pews began to be equipped with kneelers in front of the seating bench for churches with a tradition of public kneeling prayer.
While today, church pews are largely general seating, in the past, some churches would put their church pews for sale. Who ever bought the pew would have the right to sit in it. This was very controversial in the 1840’s and 1850’s, especially in the Church of England. Hence, many Anglo Catholic parishes were founded during this period as “Free Churches” and were characterized by their lack of church pew rentals.
Now days there are many companies that specialize in church pews. Often times, these same companies will be involved in other areas of church supply, such as church steeple design. You can find one of these companies, whether you are looking for church steeple design or church pews, by searching online.