Early 18th Century English Oak Country Bench

Rare early 18th Century English oak "form" of wedged construction. Made for less affluent farms and households these benches would have been a familiar sight in rural England from the middle ages until the early 19th century but their use gradually declined in favour of more sophisticated furniture from the 17th century onwards. Because they were seen as primitive and relatively easy to replace comparatively few survive. Forms (backless free standing benches) were largely of wedged construction where whittled stakes were driven into sockets of a central slab and wedges were hammered into slots on the tapered end.

Dimensions: Height 40cm x Width 138cm x Depth 20cm