Monks bench

A monks bench or hutch table is a piece of furniture where a tabletop is set onto a chest in such a way that when the table was not in use, the top pivots to a vertical position and becomes the back of a settle, and this configuration allows easy access to the chest lid which forms the seat of the piece.monks bench (British English) or hutch table (American English)

Overview Percy Blandford notes that "whether monks ever used such a bench is debatable, but it is an attractive name".

A monks bench was a useful form at a time when many homes had a large room used for multiple functions, because it allowed a large dining table to swing up and out of the way.

See also Onit chair

Notes

References