24 January 2012

Visitors to a historic church will be sitting more comfortably after students from Buckinghamshire New University answered a call to restore one six-foot-long pew and build a second one to sit in their porch.

St Mary’s Church, in Princes Risborough, asked students from the University’s BA (Hons) Furniture: Conservation, Restoration and Decorative Arts course to carry out the work.

The students restored one of the pine pews, which dates back to 1860, and made the new one using wood from three much longer pews no longer needed by the church and given to the University.

The pews now sit in the porch of the church as part of a £1.4 million refurbishment and redecoration project providing a range of new facilities. The work was carried out by first-year students Amber Bailey, Dorothy Rayner, Ann Newbold, and Jeff Day, with help from course leader Paul Tear MBE.

The Revd David Williams said the pews provided a ‘fantastic entrance to the church’. He added: “We are getting more and more people coming into the church and this is the first thing they see, which creates a really fantastic introduction. Even when the church is closed people will still be able to come and sit on the pews. We greatly appreciate the students’ help.”

Dorothy, who is originally from Coleford, in Gloucestershire, said the students were all ‘extremely proud’ of the work. She said: “I only started the course a few months ago so to be working on something like this has been a great experience. It was quite daunting at first but I’m pleased the church is happy with the result. It should help to provide pleasant surroundings for visitors to St Mary’s Church.”

The BA (Hons) Furniture: Conservation, Restoration and Decorative Arts course is part of the National School of Furniture, a partnership between the University and Oxford & Cherwell Valley College, working together with businesses and associations to provide progressive furniture education.

Bucks New University also run a number of short courses in furniture restoration, upholstery and wood carving. For further details go to bucks.ac.uk or email This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it .