The social and ecclesiastical significance of church seating arrangements and pew disputes, 1500-1740
This thesis examines the seating arrangements of English parish churches between 1500 and 1740 in order to define their basis, the reflection of society through them and areas of tension made apparent in pew disputes. It begins by charting the development of the ecclesiastical law in the early seventeenth century. Unusually this is seen to have been based upon cases prohibited to the common law on the basis of prescription. Chapter Three then examines the procedure of the ecclesiastical courts and shows that the scope of their interest was far wider than legal theory implies. The courts are shown to have been most concerned with the physical appearance of seats and their convenient placement. This was never organised into a coordinated campaign until the 1630's, but even the Laudians failed to end the ingrained abuses of the pew system because of the passive resistance of the parish authorities. Pew disputes and the deciding of titles to seats was a significant part of the ecclesiastical courts' business. The motivation these cases differed under the office and instance procedure. The former type of case was concerned only with the punishment of disruption or disobedience; the latter with the actual question
Dillow, Kevin B.
Pews and pew rights ; Religion and social status--Great Britain--History
The social and ecclesiastical significance of church seating arrangements and pew disputes, 1500-1740. This thesis examines the seating arrangements of English parish churches between 1500 and 1740 in order to define their basis, the reflection of society through them and areas of tension made apparent in pew disputes. It begins by charting the development of the ecclesiastical law in the early seventeenth century. Unusually this is seen to have been based upon cases prohibited to the common law on the basis of prescription. Chapter Three then examines the procedure of the ecclesiastical courts and shows that the scope of their interest was far wider than legal theory implies. The courts are shown to have been most concerned with the physical appearance of seats and their convenient placement. This was never organised into a coordinated campaign until the 1630's, but even the Laudians failed to end the ingrained abuses of the pew system because of the passive resistance of the parish authorities. Pew disputes and the deciding of titles to seats was a significant part of the ecclesiastical courts' business. The motivation these cases differed under the office and instance procedure. The former type of case was concerned only with the punishment of disruption or disobedience; the latter with the actual question
social ecclesiastical significance church seat arrangement dispute examines seat arrangement english_parish church order define basis reflection society area tension make apparent dispute begin chart_development ecclesiastical law unusually see base_upon case prohibit common_law basis prescription three_examines procedure ecclesiastical_court show scope interest far wide legal theory implies court show concerned physical_appearance seat convenient placement never organise coordinate campaign even fail end abuse system passive resistance parish authority dispute decide title seat significant_part ecclesiastical_court business motivation case differ office instance procedure former type case concerned punishment disruption latter actual question