E. W. Godwin Attributed – Gothic Revival Oak Refectory Table
POA
By E. W. Godwin, attributed, a refectory table in oak aligned to the Gothic Revival movement (c.1830–1900), c.1860s. The thick plank top is carried on splayed trestle supports with diagonal cross bracing, joined by both an upper and a lower stretcher for rigidity. Square-section members, clean chamfers and pegged construction give the table the robust, purposeful character associated with civic furnishing.
Godwin was architect of Northampton Town Hall (1861–64) and supplied Gothic furniture for related civic interiors in this period. The X-braced trestles, through-tenon logic and pared Gothic silhouette align with his early furniture vocabulary for municipal commissions, while the practical twin-stretcher arrangement suits refectory and meeting-room use. While unsigned, these features support the present attribution to Godwin’s workshop circle in the mid-1860s.
Width: 66.14 in (168 cm)
Depth: 29.13 in (74 cm)
1860-1869