Armchair of oak ('Glastonbury' type) from the sanctuary of a church. English, ca. 1540-60.

Armchair of oak ('Glastonbury' type) from the sanctuary of a church: the flat back, which rakes backwards, is carved with two round headed arches decorated with a guilloche pattern and enclosing a conventional flower set within a lozenge. The X-shaped legs and side rails of the seat are formed of flat rails, which are joined by bars passing through the legs and the junction of the legs and seat rails and fastened by wooden pins; the arms held in position by the front bar of the seat are shaped underneath and ramp-shaped upwards to support the elbows.

Given by Mrs. Graham Rees-Mogg

These chairs were designed to be dismantled and carried in pieces; the oak pegs are easily accessible. The front rail was designed to keep a cushion in place.

From: H. Clifford Smith, Catalogue of English Furniture & Woodwork
(London 1930), cat. 510, Plate 3.
Arm-Chair (‘Glastonbury’ type), probably from the sanctuary of a church; the flat back, which rakes backwards, is carved with two round-headed arches decorated with a guilloche pattern and enclosing a conventional flower set within a lozenge. The X-shaped legs and the side-rails of the seat are formed of flat rails, which are joined by bars passing through the legs and the junction of the legs and seat rails and fastened by wooden pins; the arms, held in position by the front bar of the seat, are shaped underneath and ramp upwards to support the elbows.

West Country. Late 16th century.
From catalogue H. 3 ft. 5 in., W. 1 ft. 10 in., D. 1 ft. 8 in. (H. 104.1 cm, W. 55.9 cm, D. 50.8 cm)

Given by Mrs. Graham Rees-Mogg
Probably from a Somerset or Devonshire church. Formerly the property of the Very Rev. Dr. Cowie, Dean of Exeter; and afterwards of Mr. Harry Hems, of Exeter, and of Cecil, 2nd Lord Fisher of Kilverstone.
The model of this so-called ‘Glastonbury’ type, is the chair now in the chapel of the Bishop’s Palace at Wells, which is said to have come from Glastonbury Abbey. (See Bond, F., ‘Wood Carvings in English Churches,’ Vol. II, p. 115).

The model of this so called 'Glastonbury' type is the chair now in the chapel of the Bishop's Palace at Wells, which is said to have come from Glastonbury Abbey. It is based on earlier Italian models (e.g. Petrarch's chair preserved at his house at Arqua near Padua). The form was later copied by Gillows in 1840 and 1873.

See Gabriel Olive, 'The Glastonbury Chair', Regional Furniture VIII (2017), pp.24-41

Comparable chairs with carved backs:
Chair now in the chapel of the Bishop’s Palace at Wells, which is said to have come from Glastonbury Abbey. (See Bond, F., ‘Wood Carvings in English Churches,’ Vol. II, p. 115).
Chair with the arms of John Arundell III of Trerice, c1540-75 (Crab Tree Farm, John Bryan collection)
Chair with initials SL, possibly c1570-1600 from the Gabriel Olive Collection, offered by Bonhams London 29/1/2019, lot 237
Chair at the Metropolitan Museum, New York, museum no. 12.5
Chair sold by Bonham's London 28/3/2018 lot 438

Probably from a Somerset of Devonshire church.

W.232-1923