What is a Windsor Chair?
The Windsor chair was first designed and made in Southeastern England in the late 1600s. The design remains popular and can refer to most chairs that have a wooden seat, and a backrest consisting of several wooden posts or spindles that are usually framed by a curved or straight piece of wood. The Windsor chair tends to have an H type frame below the seat which supports the slightly angled legs. In other words, wooden bars connect the legs on the left and right sides of the chair, and each side joins to a wooden bar centered almost exactly between them, creating a wooden H. This additional support usually occurs an inch or two (2.54-5.08 cm) from the legs’ lowest points. The early chairs featured armrests, but not all styles of the chairs today have arms. Although the initial Windsor chairs were designed in England, the style quickly became a popular one in the New World. Supposition exists that Patrick Gordon, the governor of Pennsylvania, brought styles of the chair to the New World
The Windsor chair was first designed and made in Southeastern England in the late 1600s. The design remains popular and can refer to most chairs that have a wooden seat, and a backrest consisting of several wooden posts or spindles that are usually framed by a curved or straight piece of wood. The Windsor chair tends to have an H type frame below the seat which supports the slightly angled legs. In other words, wooden bars connect the legs on the left and right sides of the chair, and each side joins to a wooden bar centered almost exactly between them, creating a wooden H. This additional support usually occurs an inch or two (2.54-5.08 cm) from the legs?lowest points. The early chairs featured armrests, but not all styles of the chairs today have arms. Although the initial Windsor chairs were designed in England, the style quickly became a popular one in the New World. Supposition exists that Patrick Gordon, the governor of Pennsylvania, brought styles of the chair to the New World i
A Windsor chair is one with a shaped wooden seat into which are fixed all the other major components. The backrest and legs are always separate. Due to this method of construction all the angles and shapes can be designed for comfort, strength and stability. Many people remember them as the kind of chair that Granny had by the fireside.
A Windsor can best be defined as a solid, sculpted seat to which all other parts of the chair are attached. This means the back and the under-carriage are separate systems, unlike joined chairs and ladder-back chairs in which the back legs are continuous with the “stiles” — the two uprights which form the back. Separating these systems allows the back to recline for comfort and the legs to splay for stability without compromising the the structure of the chair. (back to top) • Where can I find out more about Windsor chairs? Please see my About Windsors page for brief information about the history and construction of Windsor chairs. For more, see my Signpost Archive. If you are really serious, there are some excellent books on the subject, and you can find them on the Windsor Furniture Page at Bob’s Bookstore. (back to top) • What woods do you use to make your chairs? I make my chairs from three woods: oak, birch and pine. Oak is a strong, flexible wood and is excellent for steam-bendi
