Church chairs are wonderful pieces of furniture that have been reclaimed and restored here by UKAA. They are truly wonderful chairs that just ooze character and quality, the patina on the chairs is something that has built up over the years and is something that you just can’t replicate. The popularity of Church chairs has steadily increased because as a first class product they offer real value for money. We often sell individual chairs to add character to a home. These single chairs can be used in a variety of ways such as office chairs, or even chairs to use as a seat for a special teddy bear. Families tend to buy them in sets of 4 and above for around their kitchen and dining tables. We are also experiencing an increased demand for commercial use; bespoke restaurants in particular. We also hire them out to film companies one popular film was The Young Victoria which was filmed in Lincoln Cathedral using our Chapel chairs. They are not only practical chairs but strong and sturdy. They have a good look and are a fabulous conversation piece around any dinner table. The majority have solid seats but a lot had rush seats. The rush seats are very comfortable and are a very popular choice. These would be a good choice if you intended to sit on the chairs for long periods as they are so very comfortable and warm. A solid seat would be a good choice if you have small children as they are easy to wipe clean. The majority of kitchen, Church, Chapel and school chairs were made from a mixture of materials but were normally elm and beech. They were also made from pine and oak. They come in a variety of colours ranging from a light pine to a dark mahogany colour. It is very fashionable now to paint the chairs and to distress the finish. This is a good choice if you have small children as you do not have to worry as much about getting them knocked and spoiling the paint work. It is also known as a shabby chic finish. This can again be done in the colour of your choice. We offer this service for you here at UKAA. We sugar soap twice, sand and fill - then primer/undercoat then add two top coats, We use any paint company you wish Farrow & Ball, Little Greene and many more. We can also colour match to any RAL number. Church, Chapel, school chairs are ideal to use as a kitchen and dinning chair as they are both comfortable and practical. They are also robust and ideally suited for a family. The bible backs are very useful and great fun for children they can store colouring pencils in there and little toys making meal times fun. Restaurants and café’s use the bible backs to put their menus in which a great place to store them. Antique chairs will add style to any kitchen. They look good in a country kitchen adding warmth and character. Antique Church, Chapel chairs will also go with any style table too from a farmhouse to a more modern zinc table. They really do turn a house into a home. History Of Church And Chapel Chairs West & Collier Ltd of Hambleden Henley- on-Thames Oxon were one of the finest makers of Church chairs the company was established in 1869. They made Church chairs with both rush, cane and wooden seats. Rush and cane seats were more comfortable than a solid wooden seat and were less expensive. West & Collier nicely hollowed out their wooden seats making them much more comfortable for sitting. A well thought out and clever design. One of West & Collier’s best designers of Church chairs was a Mr William White. There were so many styles and designs that were made many with hat rails underneath the Church chairs that were for the safe storage of your Top hat protecting it from being trodden on. Some Church chairs were designed with a drop down kneeler and for that added luxury some kneelers were cushioned for comfort. The drop down kneeler was designed to be used for the person behind the Chapel chair folding back up into the Church chair for storage. The chair legs were mainly straight but some more expensive Chapel chairs had turned legs. The bible backs were either a ledge on the back of the chair or a ledge underneath the chair. The most popular was a pocket on the back of the cCurch chairs. The pocket would have kept the bibles safe and more secure and that is why they were more popular. Some of the most superior of Chapel chairs even had folding arms however these are very rare. Today modern cushioned Chapel chairs have arm rests as standard. West & Collier also made children’s chairs a miniature version of the adult Chapel chairs and were often used in the Sunday school rooms. Going to Church was a real family event and the whole family would have attended. West & Collier made good quality hand carved gothic style Church and Chapel chairs they had a very attractive and ornate design. They also made high quality library and Captain chairs. Church chairs were often purchased with donations left by the congregation. Chairs from a Primitive Methodist Church or Church of England Church were often plain in design. Catholic Churches were often grander with more detailing on and even made from oak. Church chairs are above all a good quality chair with character and history and have the added bonus of being very good value for money. Click Here For The Church, Chapel and School Chairs That We Have For Sale