Kneelers
The Unsung Folk Art of England and Wales
Published on 4. May 2023
Book
Hardback
144 pages
978-1-78474-396-3 (ISBN)
Description
A charming and witty history of the quirky - but surprisingly widespread - craft of embroidering kneeler cushions. The perfect gift book this Christmas, for those who love kneelers and those who don't!
'A lovely look at a not-quite-vanishing craft that lies, literally, below our knees ... Inventive and interesting' The Oldie, 'Best Reads for All Ages This Christmas'
'A treasure of a collection' Amber Butchart, of BBC's The Great British Sewing Bee
'I think I may already have discovered the best non fiction book of 2023' Reverend Richard Coles, author of A Murder Before Evensong
Kneelers is a celebration of the most widely practised - but often overlooked - folk art in England and Wales over the past ninety 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 Queen Elizabeth II's coronation and 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 - including local fauna and flora, cricket, dragons, post-war tributes 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 twentieth 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.
'A glorious and delightful salute' Tracy Chevalier, author of A Single Thread
'This book is a Godsend!' Alan Titchmarsh, author of The Gardener's Almanac
'A lovely look at a not-quite-vanishing craft that lies, literally, below our knees ... Inventive and interesting' The Oldie, 'Best Reads for All Ages This Christmas'
'A treasure of a collection' Amber Butchart, of BBC's The Great British Sewing Bee
'I think I may already have discovered the best non fiction book of 2023' Reverend Richard Coles, author of A Murder Before Evensong
Kneelers is a celebration of the most widely practised - but often overlooked - folk art in England and Wales over the past ninety 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 Queen Elizabeth II's coronation and 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 - including local fauna and flora, cricket, dragons, post-war tributes 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 twentieth 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.
'A glorious and delightful salute' Tracy Chevalier, author of A Single Thread
'This book is a Godsend!' Alan Titchmarsh, author of The Gardener's Almanac
Reviews / Votes
'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 * Gives praise at last to an overlooked form of British folk art * Sunday Times * [A] lovely book... both touching and surprising * Observer * [A] marvellous book * Reverend Richard Coles, Daily Telegraph * Heart-warming . . . Includes some of the loveliest kneelers ever made * The Oldie * This book rediscovers a vital vernacular art form...[it] makes new sense of every visit you make to a church, and is funny and wise to boot * Week * 'This is one of those delicious books that take an ostensibly small subject and illuminate a whole world * Literary Review *More details
Language
English
Place of publication
London
United Kingdom
Publishing group
Vintage Publishing
Dimensions
Height: 224 mm
Width: 183 mm
Thickness: 19 mm
Weight
570 gr
ISBN-13
978-1-78474-396-3 (9781784743963)
Copyright in bibliographic data and cover images is held by Nielsen Book Services Limited or by the publishers or by their respective licensors: all rights reserved.
Schweitzer Classification
Other editions
Additional editions
E-Book
05/2023
Vintage Digital
€14.99
Available for download
Person
Elizabeth Bingham is a leading authority on Anglican church kneelers. Some thirty years ago, aware that the folk art of designing and making kneelers was endangered, she set up the Parish Kneelers website, parishkneelers.co.uk. It has grown into a rich and vivid record of the social history of the second part of the twentieth century.