Church Of All Saints

This parish church is largely of mid-13th century origin, with reset 12th century north and south doors, and a 15th century south aisle, clerestory and tower. The chancel was shortened and partially rebuilt in 1792-4 reusing 13th century materials. Restorations in 1828 included re-roofing and reseating. The 18th to 19th century south porch incorporates 15th century sculpture. A 19th century north vestry was added. Further restorations in 1955-7 by G G Pace included reroofing and repairs to the tower, south aisle and windows.

The church is built of roughly coursed rubble and squared stone blocks with brick patching to the tower, aisles, north and south transepts, and clerestory. The chancel is ashlar, the south porch is rendered brick, and the north vestry is brick. There are ashlar dressings throughout and slate roofs. The plan is cruciform: a west tower, 2-bay aisled nave with short north and south transepts, south porch, north vestry, and single-bay chancel. Quoins are present throughout.

Tower

The 2-stage tower has full-height diagonal buttresses with offsets, a moulded plinth, and slit lights to the staircase in the south-west angle. The tall first stage has a large 15th century pointed 4-light west window with Perpendicular tracery and hoodmould, with single slit lights above to the west, north and south sides. The stepped-in upper stage has 4-centred-arched 2-light belfry openings with cinquefoiled lights, incised spandrels and hoodmoulds. There is a moulded string course with gargoyles to the corners and centres of each side. The parapet is coped and embattled, with a plain turret to the head of the staircase.

North Aisle

The north aisle has a moulded string course at 2 levels either side of the vestry, the section to the east at sill height, with buttresses to the angles and centre. A fine late 13th century pointed 2-light geometric-traceried window to the east of the vestry has rounded-trefoiled lights beneath a large unfoiled circle surrounded by 3 trefoiled circles, with filleted tracery and an ornate reveal with 4 clustered filleted shafts with foliate capitals (that to the left missing). There is a small lancet to the west of the vestry and a blocked lancet to the west side.

North Transept

The north transept has a chamfered plinth, buttresses to the angles and a pair to the north side, a moulded sill string course, and a single basket-arched 3-light cinquefoiled window with incised spandrels in a hollow-chamfered reveal.

South Aisle

The south aisle has a buttress to the south-west angle and moulded sill string courses at different levels either side of the porch. There is a single 4-centred-arched 3-light cinquefoiled window with incised spandrels in a hollow-chamfered reveal, and a blocked square-headed 2-light west window with mullion missing. Brick extends to the eaves and lean-to gable.

South Transept

The south transept has buttresses and moulded sill string course similar to those of the north chapel. There is a 13th century pointed 3-light intersecting traceried window and a partly-restored 13th century pointed 2-light geometric-traceried window with pierced quatrefoil above trefoiled lights.

South Porch

The south porch has slim set-back buttresses with reused moulded ashlar offsets and gableted caps. The pointed chamfered outer arch has a hoodmould and impost string course. Above are 3 reset 15th century relief panels representing the Annunciation, Coronation of the Virgin, and the Assumption, all beneath worn crenellated hoods and all suffering serious erosion. The fine 12th century inner door, probably originally round and reset as pointed in the 13th century, has 2 boldly-chevroned orders on shafted responds with scrolled and stiff-leaf capitals, flanked by large headstops. The 15th century inner door has blind Perpendicular-traceried panels and restored ribs.

Clerestory

The clerestory has three 4-centred-arched 2-light cinquefoiled windows with incised spandrels in hollow-chamfered reveals to the western section of both sides. There is a rebuilt brick section above the north transept with a hipped roof.

Chancel

The chancel has buttresses with offsets to the east, a moulded string course similar to the north and south transepts, and a partly-restored round-headed 3-light geometric-traceried east window with a pair of pierced quatrefoils above trefoiled lights. The gable is coped.

Interior

The tall pointed triple-chamfered tower arch sits on twin shafted responds. There is a small pointed chamfered door to the tower staircase. The 2-bay north and south nave arcades have pointed triple-chamfered arches with broach stops, on shafted piers and west responds with alternating thick and thin shafts. The south arcade has a circular pedestal to the pier and nailhead mouldings to the capitals. The north arcade has a square pedestal and plain moulded capitals.

A pointed double-chamfered central arch leads to the crossing, with flanking pointed triple-chamfered east arches to the aisles on tall shafted piers and corbelled north and south responds. The east side of the central arch bears 3 carved heads above the springing facing the chancel and south chapel. Pointed triple-chamfered north and south arches to the transepts rest on shafted responds. All shafts have single chamfered rings, moulded capitals and bases.

The section of the nave to the east of the crossing has a round-headed opening to the south chapel at former rood screen level. A pointed double-chamfered chancel arch sits to the east of the crossing, with chamfered jambs and keeled responds to the inner order. The chancel has a 13th century piscina with pointed filleted arch and projecting moulded bowl.

The north aisle has a 12th century roll-moulded north doorway (now to the vestry) originally round-arched, reset as pointed, with plain moulded imposts and hoodmould continued as string course, containing a studded 15th to 16th century oak door. Shouldered-arched openings lead to blocked west aisle windows. A carved head corbel is present on the north aisle north wall.

The nave has a 20th century ceiling. The chapels have hollow-chamfered rafters and single purlins. The chancel has a boarded 18th century rafter roof with staggered butt purlins.

Monuments

Beneath a segmental-arched recess in the chancel south wall is a reset 14th century effigy of a Lady, bearing traces of paint, with angels flanking the head and a mutilated griffon at the feet, on a chest with 4 carved shields in quatrefoils bearing arms of Bohun, Slapleton, Dayville and Wigton.

To the west of the chancel arch stands a very fine 16th century monument to a member of the Haldenby family, probably Francis Haldenby, died 1596. It comprises a knight effigy with shield bearing chalices carved in high relief, and head pillowed on helmet with coronet and crest, on a partly restored chest with carved arms to the west side, and a relief panel to the north side bearing carved border and 15 family figures (11 male, 4 female) kneeling on a scroll inscribed in Latin with a series of homilies attributed to each figure. Above is a wall tablet to Francis Haldenby of 1589 carved in high relief, with a lower panel bearing the date and a long Latin inscription, and an upper panel bearing the Haldenby arms with helm, coronet and crest, copious mantling and inscribed scrolls.

On the north side of the chancel are a small inscribed brass plate to Christopher Egmonton of Fockerby, of 1569; a floorslab to Rev William Browne of 1720; and a damaged 13th to 14th century tombstone with incised cross and fragmentary Gothic inscription to a lady Berengia.

In the north transept is a graveslab to Robert Haldenby and wife Agnes, of 1427, with a pair of incised crosses and Gothic border inscription.

The south transept contains a very fine standing wall monument to Mary Ramsden of 1755, by Charles Mitley and Harvey of York, in a variety of veined marbles. It has a panelled pedestal bearing an inscribed tablet, with a life-size figure above in draped costume against a reredos background with festoon and cherubs, in Corinthian surround with fluted columns and segmental pediment carrying mantled arms and pair of urns.

Within a railed enclosure at the foot of the Ramsden monument are a series of black marble slabs: to Rev Henry Breary of 1743; to Elizabeth Robinson of 1714; to Thomas Robinson of 1710 with fine Latin inscription and roundel with arms and achievement in relief; to Mary Ramsden of 1743. Further black marble floorslabs in the transept commemorate Robert Robinson of 1702, Elizabeth Breary of 1719, and Thomas Robinson of 1709. There is also a 14th century matrix for brass of a knight with indents for full figure and pair of shields flanking the head. A series of 18th century ashlar floorslabs are present.

Wall tablets in the south transept commemorate Rev Isaac Tyson of 1820 with pilastered surround, urn, crown, cross and books; and Rev William Tyson of 1865 and Mary Tyson of 1834, both by W D Keyworth of Hull.

A wall tablet in the north chapel commemorates Sarah Middleton of 1832 with coffin, moulded cornice and urn, by Swift.

Furnishings

The church contains a 15th century octagonal font with tall 19th century wooden font cover. There are 18th and 19th century box pews throughout, those in the transepts with iron candle brackets. Painted Royal Arms of 1856 are displayed in the tower.

Historical Context

John le Franceys, Rector of Adlingfleet from 1247-55 (at that time one of the richest livings in the country), rebuilt Adlingfleet church and pulled down the neighbouring church at Whitgift. The 14th century lady effigy (and chest?) was excavated in the 17th century from the south side of the church, and is reputed to be Margaret, wife of Thomas de Egmonton, died 1370.

Mary Ramsden, widow of William Ramsden of Norton, Yorkshire, bequeathed her estate (including Adlingfleet) to St Catherine's College, Cambridge, and her monument was evidently intended for erection there.

This is the finest medieval church in the Marshland region of the lower Trent and Ouse valleys, with some notable details and monuments.