Sedilia at Folkingham

At St Andrew’s Church in Folkingham (Lincs), someone has rather thoughtfully and tastefully upholstered the sedilia. These are stone seats built for the original Catholic clergy to occupy before and after celebrating Mass. At most churches, such as at Skipton, below, they are ignored and unused, an historical relic to be noted by tourists.

At Folkingham, however, the current parson presumably still occupies them during divine service, and has due regard for the comfort of his derrière. Much as I despise the Roman mass, I find the use of medieval sedilia in modern worship rather satisfying. Anything we inherit from the past, so long as it is not unscriptural, should be seen for what it is- an inheritance and a gift from generations gone. Someone, a verger, deacon or vicar at Folkingham, had the idea that if there was already a seat there, it ought to be used. Perhaps this is why I enjoy history. It is a record of former generation’s successes and failures from which we may benefit.

A good man leaves an inheritance to his children’s children, but the wealth of the sinner is stored up for the righteous. Proverbs 13:22