Church Kneelers

The Church has a fine collection of kneelers / hassocks, hand made by parishioners.

A book on Kneelers has been published recently :-

"Kneelers: The Unsung Folk Art of England and Wales" 
Hardcover – 4 May 2023
by Elizabeth Bingham

Overview of the book

Kneelers is a celebration of the most widely practised - but often overlooked - folk art in England and Wales in the last 90 years: the design and craft of church kneelers.

Featuring charming stories and enchanting designs from churches across the country, the book traces the history of kneelers; from their spectacular beginnings at Winchester in the 1930s to their booming popularity after the Queen's coronation, to the present-day congregations who are keeping the tradition alive.

In their range and diversity, the kneelers collected here form a fascinating social record of the concerns and interests that occupied their makers over the last century - including local fauna and flora, cricket, dragons, post-war commemoration and the thrills of high-speed travel.

Filled to the brim with beautiful full-colour images, Kneelers displays the quirky artistry and widely varied (and often surprising) motifs which have characterised church kneelers in the last century.

It rejoices in the personal stories of some of the people who have practised and advanced the art form, and is a wonderful commemoration of what happens when communities come together to celebrate their history and their environment.

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Reviews of the book

'I think I may already have discovered the best non-fiction book of 2023' ― Reverend Richard Coles, author of A Murder Before Evensong

'A glorious and delightful salute to some of the UK's most neglected folk art and its makers' ― Tracy Chevalier, author of A Single Thread

'For anyone who has been grateful for a kneeler, and found solace in them during a challenging sermon, this book is a Godsend!' ― Alan Titchmarsh, author of The Gardener's Almanac

'A treasure of a collection' ― Amber Butchart, of BBC's The Great British Sewing Bee

Heart-warming . . . Includes some of the loveliest kneelers ever made ― The Oldie

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