The Cathedral Church of St James and St Edmund, Bury St Edmunds (“St Edmundsbury Cathedral“) is one of the last Church of England cathedrals to replace its pews with chairs. The pews were scheduled to be removed at the end of February and six-seater and eight-seater pews made available for purchase. The Cathedral has observed:

“The Victorians retrofitted churches and cathedrals with pews that suited the society at the time, and now it’s time for us to do the same. Both Gilbert Scott and Dykes Bower, great visionaries of St Edmundsbury Cathedral, had chairs in the restoration plans, which means that in 2024 we are completing a vision first created in the 1860s.”

On 14 July 2023, the Chapter of the Cathedral Church of St James and St Edmund, Bury St Edmunds applied for approval of the proposal concerning the nave, north aisle and south aisle re-seating, (Form 8) and (Form 10), extracts of which are reproduced below. Readers will note a number of similarities with proceedings relating to the replacement of pews in the consistory courts.  Continue reading →