Box pews provided privacy and allowed the family to sit together. In the 17th century they could include windows, curtains, tables and even fireplaces, and were treated as personal property that could be willed to legatees. Sometimes the panelling was so high it was difficult to see out, and the privacy was used as a cover for non-devotional activity.
Box pews provided privacy, enabling families to sit together in the 17th century. These pews were considered personal property that could be passed down through inheritance.  The high panelling sometimes obscured views, and this privacy was used as a cover for non-religious purposes.