89-year-old master craftsman finds new life for historic church pews removed in major renovation

When an 11th century riverside church closed last October for essential repairs and upgrades, there were concerns that removing the Victorian pine pews would destroy its beauty.

Many people in the area have fond memories of weddings and christenings a Holy Trinity Church in Cookham – and the congregation hoped the renovation would be handled sensitively.

One of the changes involved switching the old pews for chairs. The pews, dating back to 1861, ‘weren’t very good quality’ and some were falling apart.

After they were removed and replaced with freestanding chairs, most of the old pews found new homes in the area.

But hanging from those pews – dusty, unused and overlooked – was another key part of the church’s history: the hassocks (kneeling cushions) whose fate was uncertain.

Around 50 years ago, a dedicated team of stitchers led by Lois Ashwanden embarked on a 15-year project to make over 200 kneelers.

The initial batch of 20 were in shades of green and gold, designed by members of the congregation to depict local wildlife.

The Maidenhead Advertiser visited in December 1971 and photographed the team, surrounded by their tapestry kneeler cushions.

^{The old hassocks and their creators in 1971.}

It was later decided that subsequent kneelers should adopt a different colour palette of deep red and blue, more in keeping with other decorations in church at that time. These focussed on different interpretations of the Cross.

But the intervening decades had not been kind to the kneelers. By 2024, layers of dust and candle grease left them looking ‘muted and dull.’

There was ‘so much love and skill’ stitched into the cushions that a small team undertook to repurpose a selection of them, making them into hangings.

With ‘hearts in mouth’, the first tentative stitches of the cushions were unpicked, candle grease was pulled off and the kneelers were plunged one by one into a soapy bath.

What emerged was a ‘revelation’: the colours were once again vibrant and the shading nuanced.

After drying and ironing, they were passed onto a textile professional in the bell-ringing team, who put the pieces together to create two ‘stunning’ hangings that now cheer the church.

The project was so successful that the team have gone on to unpick and clean all the rest of the kneelers.

A second hanging is being put up at the Parish Centre in Cookham and the others will be used around Holy Trinity church.

Keeping waste to a minimum, all the surplus plastic-covered pads, which have less historic value, have also found new homes.

They have gone to local allotment societies, school clubs and archaeology students, among others who might need something to kneel on while they do practical work.

Meanwhile, artist and master craftsman Ted Harris, aged 89, took two of the remaining pews to his workroom to transform them into a lasting tribute.

Under his loving hands they have reemerged, phoenix-like, transformed into a new ‘friendship seat.’

Ted has combined his love of traditional design and interest in symbolism to create a unique tribute to the old pews. It took him about 4 months to make, and involved 'a lot of sweat and tears', said church warden Andy Oxley.

His use of the ‘rose and castle’ narrowboat motif is a nod to the Thames; the carved grapes reference the Communion service; and the crown of thorns Christ’s death on the Cross.

The tapestry cushions on each of the four seats all started life as kneelers and have now been cleaned and repurposed.

Holy Trinity has reopened following its large renovation, and there will be special open days in September during the national Heritage Open Days festival week.

For this, there will be displays from the nearby Holy Trinity School, the Friends of Cookham Abbey, multimedia artwork from Phyllida Shelley and visiting artists.

^{Ted Harris with the friendship seat he made in all its glory.}