Church Of All Saints

Church of All Saints

A substantial parish church with a complex building history spanning from the 12th century onwards. The church stands on Church Street, Wath upon Dearne, and comprises a west tower, a three-and-a-half bay aisled nave with south porch, a three-bay chancel with south organ chamber, and a north chapel with west aisle. A north vestry and 20th-century addition to the north-east corner complete the plan.

The earliest surviving work includes the 12th-century north arcades, which remain within earlier walling, and the lower part of the tower, also of 12th-century date. The nave and chancel were substantially rebuilt and extended during the 13th and 14th centuries. The tower was heightened in the 14th or 15th century, while the nave was re-roofed in 1540. The spire was replaced in 1714, and the church underwent significant restoration and enlargement campaigns in 1868 and 1920.

The building is constructed of sandstone rubble to the lower part of the tower and to the north chapel; the remainder uses ashlar. The roofing combines lead to the nave, tiles to the chancel and aisles, and stone slates to the north chapel. All major roof elements run at right angles to the main axis.

The west tower features a door on its south side dated 1868, with a band rising above the doorway. A stone clock face occupies the right side, beneath which runs an offset band and string course. The tower preserves blocked round-arched two-light former belfry openings and later two-light Perpendicular belfry openings. Corner gargoyles and a renewed embattled parapet with crocketted pinnacles crown the tower. The spire above is recessed and octagonal.

The south porch has a chamfered plinth and wave-moulded bandy buttresses flanking a double-quadrant-moulded doorway. A raking parapet and rib-vaulted roof complete the structure. The south aisle displays a chamfered plinth and buttress between two two-light windows with Y-tracery and hoodmoulds, beneath an embattled parapet. The clerestorey comprises four double-chamfered, square-headed two-light windows, also beneath an embattled parapet.

The north aisle has a plinth and wave-moulded band with buttresses between bays, two square-headed windows with ogee-headed lights, and a doorway to the right.

The chancel is dominated on its south side by a 19th and 20th-century organ chamber that breaks forward, featuring two two-light Y-tracery windows and an embattled parapet. A lancet window within rubble walling marks the chancel's south wall. The east end, rebuilt around 1920, displays snecked wallstone and a five-light east window in Perpendicular style, with a coped gable and cross above.

The north chapel features buttresses to its angles and beneath the north window. Its east wall contains lancets flanking a two-light Y-tracery window, all with hoodmoulds. The north window comprises four lancets beneath a quatrefoil, with a hoodmould. A doorway and lancet open to the north end of the west aisle, with a diagonal buttress to the right.

Interior

The tower arch is double-chamfered and pointed, set on semicircular responds with moulded capitals. The north arcade of the nave displays circular piers with scalloped capitals, cross-shaped abaci, and round arches with a single step. A restored doorway at the east end retains a blocked rood door above. The south arcade is pointed and double-chamfered, with a half-arch at its west end.

The splendid roof of 1540 features cambered tie beams with bosses now painted and gilded. The chancel arch is double-chamfered. The north chapel contains a two-bay arcade matching the nave's north arcade, with a piscina in the eastern respond. The north chapel's west arcade has a quatrefoil pier and keeled north respond.

Fittings and Furnishings

A 19th-century benefactions board stands beneath the tower. The nave contains two brass chandeliers dated 1810, a gift of Thomas Tuke. The chancel's north wall bears a wall monument of 1728 to George Ellis (died 1712). The north chapel preserves five reused bench ends with running inscription including the name 'John Saville' and dated 1576.

A baluster-shaped font of 1726 displays acanthus carving and a Greek palindrome inscription. It retains its turned-wood cover with iron handle and dove finial. A brass of 1767 hangs on the north wall. A 14th-century parish chest survives, and other fittings date largely from the 19th century, including a stone reredos of 1870 depicting Christ and two disciples in an ogee-headed niche. Stained glass of 1892 by Clayton and Bell fills windows in the north aisle and the east windows of the chapel.