Chapel

A chapel is a holy place or an area of worship. A chapel may be a small building attached to a larger one, such as a synagogue, a large church, a college, a palace, a hospital, a cemetery or a prison, or may be large building unattached to any other structure. According to Catholic Canon Law, a chapel is technically known as an “oratory”, and is a space, which is not a parish church and which is dedicated to the celebration of services, especially mass. A chapel may be completely private (for usage of an individual or a group of individuals), semi-public (partially available to the general public) or public (accessible entirely to the general public). The usage of the word “chapel” is more common in Wales than in England, where many non-Anglican Protestant church buildings are called “the chapel”. On the other hand in Scotland and Northern Ireland, Catholic churches are referred to as “the chapel”. In modern context, the term chapel is used to refer to any place of worship or meditation.

Furniture used in chapels is usually made from high grade hardwood for maximum durability. Though quite utilitarian in nature, chapel chairs and benches do feature moderately detailed artwork and have a genuine feel of solidity in them. They are generally well-maintained and are regularly polished. Hence there are many collectors who scout for authentic and preferably antique chapel furniture like chairs and benches.