Church of All Saints

Church of All Saints

A Grade I listed church of primarily 14th to 16th century date, constructed in ashlar sandstone with lead roofs. The chancel dates from the 14th century but was heightened in the 16th century, the tower is early 15th century, and the remainder of the building was completed in the late 15th and early 16th centuries. The church underwent major restoration in the 19th century, principally by George Gilbert Scott between 1873 and 1875.

The building follows a cruciform plan with a four-bay aisled nave, south porch, crossing tower, transepts, and a chancel with north and south chapels and north vestry. The architectural style is Perpendicular throughout, with intersecting and panel tracery and embattlements with crocketed pinnacles characteristic of the period.

The nave features a chamfered plinth and angle buttresses between bays. Three moulded bands run beneath transomed four-light aisle windows, which have crocketed and finialled hoodmoulds. The gabled south porch at bay two has diagonal buttresses and miniature buttresses with pinnacles flanking the doorway. The unrestored south door within the porch retains angel corbels to a crocketed hood. The north aisle, less heavily restored, displays well-carved hoodmoulds depicting shepherds and their flocks. The west door is flanked by miniature pinnacled buttresses beneath blind panels. A transomed seven-light west window flanks the door, with transomed four-light aisle windows on either side. Eight clerestorey windows of three lights feature hoodmoulds, with buttresses carrying gargoyles and pinnacles between each window.

The transepts contain six-light windows to north and south and three-light windows to east and west, with a south door. The tower displays pinnacled angle buttresses flanking paired four-light belfry openings, each with a king mullion and two transoms. Blind panels sit beneath louvres, with gargoyles flanking a clock on each face. The recessed octagonal spire features crocketed arrises and pinnacled shafts rising from corner faces, topped with a gilded weather-vane.

The chancel's south chapel contains two four-light windows with uncusped lights and a small three-light window in the easternmost bay. The north chapel has triangular arches to treble-chamfered windows. Four clerestorey windows each feature three Tudor-arched lights beneath a pointed arch. Buttresses flank a transomed seven-light east window with carved busts to the hoodmould stops, accompanied by a gable niche and cross.

Interior: The nave arcades contain lozenge-shaped piers with three attached shafts on the nave and aisle sides. The capitals are carved with foliage and hidden faces beneath an embattled band, with moulded arches above. The crossing features heavily-moulded arches with carved capitals to the attached shafts. The earlier arcades to the chapels have octagonal piers and double-chamfered arches. Sedilia with three ogee-headed recesses occupy the chancel, one incorporating a squint into the south chapel. An excellent 15th century roof to the nave features moulded members and carved bosses. Early 16th century roofs cover the chancel and south chapel. Early 15th century fan-vaulting spans the crossing.

The octagonal pulpit dates from 1604 and carries an 18th century sounding board with cherubs and a corona with dove. A font in the south aisle, made around 1879, has a spire cover. A 12th century font in the north aisle remains weathered. An organ by Snetzler, installed in 1777 in the north transept, was restored in 1890. Excellent choir stalls feature two misericords and figure-carved bench ends depicting the Annunciation, with some freestanding benches having traceried end panels. A 15th century canopied parclose screen partitions the south chapel from the transept, with another restored section in the north chapel arcade; both likely derive from the original rood screen.

Monuments include numerous wall monuments in the south transept, including one to Samuel Buck (died 1806) by Flaxman, and another commemorating 50 victims of a boat disaster at Masborough in 1841, designed by Edwin Smith of Sheffield. A dresser tomb in the north chapel bears an excellent brass to Robert Swift (died 1561) and Anne (died 1539). Many 17th and 18th century brasses are attached to piers of the chancel and crossing.

The east window is by Clayton and Bell, designed by Scott. Other windows are by A. Gibbs, Camm Bros., Heaton Butler and Bayne, and James Bell.