Historic Christ Church-Reading Desk

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Reading Desk

Raised one level above the clerk's desk, the reading desk has a small, bow-front board seat attached to a back panel separating this area from the stairs to the pulpit. Partly visible to the left of this seat is the back panel of the small hinged door leading south into a pewed area for the minister.

Located in the middle level of the triple-decker pulpit, the reading desk served as the point from which the minister performed most of the service, except that of the sermon, which he delivered from the pulpit's top level.

The reading desk is mounted atop a panel dividing it from the clerk’s desk one level below. At the bottom of this panel lies a sloped, narrow kneeling-board. Another paneled divider behind the reading desk separates it from the stairs leading up the pulpit. Attached to this divider is a bow-front board seat for the minister.

A large hinged door in the southwest aisle opens into a small pewed area for the minister. Inside this area, a smaller hinged door also with raised paneling on the exterior leads into the reading desk. An opening on the other side of the desk gave the minister access to the pulpit stairs.