Pews Collection

Sacrament Sunday - William Teulon Blandford Fletcher

My First Sermon, 1863, (1947). Creator: John Everett Millais
My First Sermon, 1863, (1947). The Artists Daughter in Winchelsea Church : portrait of Millais daughter Effie, aged about five, sitting upright and somewhat daunted

My Second Sermon, 1864, (1947). Creator: John Everett Millais
My Second Sermon, 1864, (1947). The Artists Daughter in Winchelsea Church : portrait of Millais daughter Effie, aged about five, having fallen asleep during the service

The Old Court / Old Bailey
The Old Bailey: The Old Court. Date: circa 1900

St. Stephans Cathedral, Passau, Bavaria, Germany, Europe

Pentonville Prison
Pentonville chapel; prisoners seated in individual pews

Christ in Majesty, Llandaff Cathedral, Cardiff, South Wales
Christ in Majesty, sculpture by Epstein, in the nave of Llandaff Cathedral, Cardiff, South Wales. Date: circa 1970s

Interior of the Holy Trinity Church, Stepney, London
Interior of the Holy Trinity Church, Stepney, Tower Hamlets, East End of London. Date: circa 1910s

Sepia photograph of the interior of Borley Church, showing the Waldegrave tomb and organ, dated circa 1926. HPG/1/3/2 (ii)

Gloucester Cathedral Choir, Gloucestershire, England. Date: circa 1910s

The interior of Rosslyn Chapel, Roslin, Midlothian, Scotland

General Grants Council of War, Massaponax Church, Virginia, May 21, 1864

Interior of St Thomas The Martyr Church, Brentwood, Essex Date: circa 1904

The interior of the Abbey Church of St Mary, Iona, Scotland

Chartists in church, 1839. To demonstrate their power and numbers, they would process to church well before time for
527840 Chartists in church, 1839. To demonstrate their power and numbers, they would process to church well before time for the service, and peacefully fill the pews

Free seats: In Anglican churches in England in the 19th century more prosperous families rented their pews
530207 Free seats: In Anglican churches in England in the 19th century more prosperous families rented their pews, but some free seats were available for the poor

The Great Schools of England, the Chapel at Rugby School, 1862. Creator: Unknown
The Great Schools of England, the Chapel at Rugby School, 1862. Private school in Rugby, Warwickshire. From "Illustrated London News", 1862.

St. Nicholas Church, Durham - interior, 1858. Creator: Murray
St. Nicholas Church, Durham - interior, 1858. This church...[has] undergone a thorough repair, and been in part rebuilt...[to the] design of Mr

Vested choir, St. Mary's Mission, Detroit, Mich. between 1900 and 1910. Creator: William H. Jackson
Vested choir, St. Mary's Mission, Detroit, Mich. between 1900 and 1910

View of the Nave of the Nieuwe Kerk, Haarlem, Looking West, 1650. Creator: Pieter Jansz Saenredam
View of the Nave of the Nieuwe Kerk, Haarlem, Looking West, 1650

After baptism, 1841-1892. Creator: Johann Mari Henri ten Kate
After baptism, 1841-1892. Church interior, young woman with a cape in hand

Glasgow Cathedral Restored, 1857. Creator: J. & A.W.. Glasgow Cathedral Restored, 1857. Creator: J. & A.W
Glasgow Cathedral Restored, 1857. Heavy wooden galleries were introduced...constructed in such a manner as to throw their whole weight horizontally against the outer walls and columns of the choir

Interior of the Sint-Odulphuskerk in Assendelft, 1649. Creator: Pieter Jansz Saenredam
Interior of the Sint-Odulphuskerk in Assendelft, 1649. Seen from the Choir to the West. Once a Catholic church, St Odulphus's passed into Protestant hands at the start of the Dutch Revolt against

L'Exposition des oeuvres d'art mutilees ou provenant des regions devastees... 1916. Creator: Unknown
L'Exposition des oeuvres d'art mutilees ou provenant des regions devastees; Stalles de la cathedrale de Verdun, 1916. From "Collection de la Guerre IV. L'Illustration Tome CXLVIII

Cathedral of St. John the Divine, interior, New York, c.between 1910 and 1920. Creator: Unknown
Cathedral of St. John the Divine, interior, New York, c.between 1910 and 1920

A church service on the Island of Mors, Jutland, 1893. Creator: Fridolin Johansen
A church service on the Island of Mors, Jutland, 1893

New Church of St. Saviour, Warwick-Road, Paddington - the Chancel, 1856. Creator: Unknown
New Church of St. Saviour, Warwick-Road, Paddington [in west London] - the Chancel, 1856. Interior view of church in...the adapted Gothic style...the architect has dispensed with side-aisles

Choir stalls, Cathedral of St. John the Divine, New York, c.between 1910 and 1920. Creator: Unknown
Choir stalls, Cathedral of St. John the Divine, New York, c.between 1910 and 1920

The Interior of Ribe Cathedral, 1836. Creator: Jorgen Pedersen Roed
The Interior of Ribe Cathedral, 1836

'The Litany'; after L. Bernard Hall, 1890. Creator: Unknown
'The Litany'; after L. Bernard Hall, 1890. From "The Graphic. An Illustrated Weekly Newspaper", Volume 41. January to June, 1890

Pohick Episcopal Church, Lorton vicinity, Fairfax County, Virginia, between c1930 and 1939

'Publishing the Banns in the West Indies "For the First Time of Asking", 1891. Creator: C Haldane McFall
'Publishing the Banns in the West Indies "For the First Time of Asking", 1891. From "The Graphic. An Illustrated Weekly Newspaper", Volume 44. July to December, 1891

Meeting House Pew, c. 1936. Creator: Donald Streeter
Meeting House Pew, c. 1936

The Chapel Royal, Windsor Castle, 1854. Creator: Unknown
The Chapel Royal, Windsor Castle, 1854. The alterations...have been made, under the directions of her Majesty and Prince Albert, by Mr

Interior of Saint-Pierre-de-Montmartre church, c1895. Creator: Edouard Zawiski
Interior of Saint-Pierre-de-Montmartre church, c1895

Mass at the Chapelle expiatoire (Expiatory Chapel), 1835. Creator: Lancelot-Theodore Turpin de Crisse
Mass at the Chapelle expiatoire (Expiatory Chapel), 1835

Church Pew, 1935/1942. Creator: J.Henry Marley
Church Pew, 1935/1942

St. Paul's Church, Malta, Built at the Expense of the late Queen Dowager Adelaide, 1850. Creator: Unknown
St. Paul's Church, Malta, Built at the Expense of the late Queen Dowager Adelaide, 1850. The interior is very spacious

Tercentenary Service at the Dutch Church, Austin Friars, 1850. Creator: Unknown
Tercentenary Service at the Dutch Church, Austin Friars, [London], 1850. Scene of the...Commemoration in the Dutch Church at Austin Friars, an edifice of very interesting antiquarian history

Assembly of God in tent by the roadside, Cache County, Oklahoma, 1937. Creator: Dorothea Lange
Assembly of God in tent by the roadside, Cache County, Oklahoma. Twenty- nine attend this church. Eighteen families of displaced laborers and tenants encamp in this group along the highway

Old man in church, 1875. Creator: Antonio Piccinni
Old man in church, 1875

Interior of Whippingham Church, Isle of Wight, 1850. Creator: Unknown
Interior of Whippingham Church, Isle of Wight, 1850. The interior of the Church is as simple as the exterior, there being no enrichment to the arches or windows, or decorations to the roof

The English Chapel, Upper Town, Boulogne-sur-Mer, 1850. Creator: Smyth
The English Chapel, Upper Town, Boulogne-sur-Mer, [France], 1850. The Rev. Thomas Harvey, who has for several years past been seeking to obtain redress for his removal from the chaplancies of Genoa

Interior of the Church of St. Stephen, Rochester-Row, Westminster, 1850. Creator: Unknown
Interior of the Church of St. Stephen, Rochester-Row, Westminster, [London], 1850. The first stone of the Church was laid July 20

In church, 1875. Creator: Antonio Piccinni
In church, 1875

Attending Mass, Rome, 1875. Creator: Antonio Piccinni
Attending Mass, Rome, 1875

The interior of St. Peter's Church in Vienna, c1900. Creator: Alfred Edler von Pflugl
The interior of St. Peter's Church in Vienna, c1900

Wells Cathedral, Wells, Somerset, England - Nave - In 1338 the mason William Joy employed an unorthodox solution by inserting low arches topped by inverted arches of similar dimensions

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"Pews: Witnessing History and Faith in Iconic Spaces" Step into the sacred realm of pews, where history intertwines with devotion. From Sacrament Sunday to William Teulon Blandford Fletcher's architectural marvels, these wooden seats have borne witness to countless sermons and spiritual journeys. In 1863, John Everett Millais immortalized the innocence of youth in "My First Sermon, " capturing a young boy's awe within the confines of a pew. A year later, "My Second Sermon" continued this narrative, showcasing growth and contemplation amidst the hallowed space. Beyond churches lie other notable pews that hold their own stories. The Old Bailey stands as an emblematic symbol of justice served while St. Stephen's Cathedral in Passau offers solace amid Bavaria's picturesque landscapes. Pentonville Prison reminds us that even behind bars they can offer solace and redemption for those seeking spiritual guidance. Meanwhile, Llandaff Cathedral's majestic Christ in Majesty painting evokes reverence and humility within its worshippers. Traveling across borders reveals diverse interpretations of faith encapsulated by these humble benches. Borley Church's sepia photograph captures both timelessness and mystery while Holy Trinity Church in Stepney showcases Londoners' unwavering devotion through its intricate interior design. Rosslyn Chapel beckons visitors with its enigmatic beauty; each pew holds secrets whispered throughout centuries past. Across the Atlantic Ocean lies Massaponax Church - a poignant reminder of General Grant’s Council of War during a turbulent era in American history. Closer to home is St Thomas The Martyr Church; nestled in Brentwood, Essex – it serves as a sanctuary for reflection amidst bustling city life. Through joyous hymns or tearful prayers uttered from these steadfast seats, pews remain silent witnesses to our collective human experience - bridging gaps between generations and cultures alike.