Church of All Saints

The Church of All Saints, now an urban studies centre and concert hall, was built between 1786 and 1796 by David Stephenson, replacing a medieval church. It is constructed of sandstone ashlar with a Welsh slate roof. The church has an oval plan with apses on a west-east axis, and is flanked by a south chapel and vestry, with a portico and tower. The style is Classical, with Baroque features to the tower.

The Greek Doric tetrastyle portico has a dentilled pediment, and the flanking windows have tripartite sashes in Ionic pilasters, set under shallow lunettes with glazing bars; the voussoirs are continuous with channelled rustication. A rusticated plinth supports paired Ionic pilasters that define the bays, surmounted by a top entablature. Returns exhibit similar window treatment to the two-bay chapel and vestry. The oval plan continues the plinth and Ionic order with segmental-headed windows; round-headed gallery windows have balustrades; a top dentilled cornice is continuous with the tower’s pediments.

The four-stage tower features segmental-headed windows under dentilled pediments, and tall arched panels above with louvred lunettes under a dentilled cornice; clock faces are flanked by plinths of paired diagonal columns, with tripartite windows above. The set-back top stage incorporates a round balustrade, a set-back open-arched belfry with paired corner columns, and a top spire. Double doors are located in the portico and the west apse. Both apses incorporate blind panels, with upper balustrades and swags, and fluted impost strings. Low, flat-coped walls flank three flights of steps leading to the portico.

Inside, the painted plaster is above a panelled mahogany dado, with a moulded plaster ceiling decorated with leaf and flower ornament, and a dentilled cornice. Panelled pews are joined by fluted Doric columns supporting a balcony, all in mahogany. The east apse features Corinthian order detailing, and the organ in the west apse conceals an exit. The vestibule under the tower contains a replica of a medieval font with heraldic shields. Memorials on the walls include a marble plaque commemorating David Stephenson, the architect, who died in 1819, by Davies; a low-relief obelisk on a mount dedicated to Edward Moses, who died in 1813, son of the master of the Grammar School, by Davies with Greek and Latin inscriptions; and a bracketed marble slab to Joseph Garnett, who died in 1796, featuring a book and drapery, by Craggs. The former vestry contains boards of the Creed, Lord’s Prayer, and Commandments from the church.