St James, Gerrards Cross

During the preparatory work the pulpit and old pews were removed, revealing beautiful scagliola columns which, with the rounded Byzantine arches in the chancel and between the columns are the defining feature of the space, and becoming the architectural elements that found their way into the new sanctuary furniture and commissioned from Treske of Thirsk.

The celebrants chairs have back panels supported by stainless steel rods set into the panel and frame. The readers have similar panels and shelves for kneeler or books, whilst the bases of legs on all the celebrants chairs have a carved groove a few centimeters from the floor, a reference to nearby ornamented column bases.

Sir William Tite gave Gerrards Cross an impressive church in terms of scale and ambition and any nave furniture has to be similarly confident; it also has to be flexible in use by today’s congregations. To complement the newly uncluttered aesthetic of the church Treske modified their popular Ripon Cathedral St Wilfrid’s stacking chair, making two hundred and fifty chairs for the nave. The unity of the whole is extremely pleasing, whilst the diverse purposes to which a modern congregation wishes their church building to be put are well served.