Leicester Cathedral oak stalls in sale
Oak stalls removed from Leicester cathedral to make way for the tomb of King Richard III are coming up for auction at a Derbyshire auction house.
The canons’ oak stalls, which stand around 12 feet high, are each inscribed with the title of those who held each seat in the cathedral, ranging from the ‘Archdeacon of Leicester’ to ‘The Provost’.
The huge stalls were designed in 1927 by Sir Charles Nicholson, 2nd Baronet, a renowned English architect who worked on more than 50 churches, chapels and cathedrals in his lifetime.
Designed in the Gothic revival style, each stall has an estimate of £2,000 to £4,000.
Hansons’ furniture valuer Edward Rycroft said, “This is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to own something with incredible provenance and history. The oak stalls are exceptional. They have never come up for auction before and may never do so again.”
They are being offered for sale by retired Leicester man Cyril Naylor, a devotee of church architecture and collector of church-related items. Cyril said, “They took these stalls out to make way for Richard III’s tomb and, as soon as I heard that was happening, I got in touch with Leicester Cathedral and put in a bid for them. I’ve had them for 18 months and kept them in storage, now the time is right to part with them.”
The stalls will be sold at Hansons Auctioneers on February 17.