Church Of All Saints

Church of All Saints

A church of Saxon and Norman origins, substantially enlarged in the 15th century and restored in 1871. The building is constructed of magnesian limestone blocks with stone slate roof and quoins. It comprises a west tower, nave with north aisle and south porch, and a chancel with north chapel.

The Tower

The tower is said to be a Norman heightening of a 2-storey Saxon porch. It is built of rubble finished with ashlar at the belfry stage and is unbuttressed. On its south side is a restored Saxon doorway: a small round-headed opening with jambs and head of large blocks, with projecting imposts decorated with fine interlacing. The whole is surrounded by a restored extrados band decorated with a carved vine scroll. To the right of this is a small round-headed window with head carved in one stone, and another at the level above. Below the change in masonry is a modern circular clockface. The west side has a 19th-century Saxon-style window and a small chamfered rectangular window above. The Norman belfry stage of ashlar has in each side a louvred window of 2 lights with a colonette and cushion capital. A corbel table and corner gargoyles run beneath an embattled parapet with crocketed corner pinnacles. An octagonal spire crowns the tower.

The Nave and Aisles

The short 3-bay nave has a gabled 19th-century porch at its centre, with a 3-light Perpendicular window on each side. Both windows have cusped lights and traceried heads, though the right-hand window is slightly smaller and less regular. The left-hand window has a carved head over it. At a higher level in both parts are remains of small round-headed windows. To the right of the right-hand window is the right jamb of another taller window. The north aisle has two 15th-century windows with deeply-chamfered surrounds, each of 3 arched lights with hollow spandrels.

The Chancel and Chapel

The chancel has 19th-century openings: 3 lancets, a chamfered priest door, and a 5-light east window. The north chapel has a large recessed Perpendicular east window of 3 cusped lights with traceried head.

Interior

At the west end of the nave is a Norman round-headed tower arch, with an earlier round-headed window above it. At the east end is a restored Saxon chancel arch. On both sides at a high level are remains of round-headed Saxon windows. The Perpendicular aisle arcade has 3 bays with octagonal columns carrying moulded caps and 2-centred double-chamfered arches. Incorporated in the north wall of the aisle are remains of Anglo-Saxon masonry with interlace and cross.

The north chapel contains very fine family monuments with life-sized effigies. Lady Mary Bolles, who died in 1662, is recumbent on a tomb chest. Sir John and Lady Lewis, dated 1677, were created by Thomas Cartwright and are shown on 2 levels, reclining on a sarcophagus. Lady Elizabeth (Betty) Hastings, dated 1739 by Peter Schleemakers, reclines on a wall-mounted sarcophagus. The pedestal beneath displays a lengthy Latin inscription. The monument is flanked by free-standing figures of her step-sisters Piety and Prudence, each on a similar pedestal. All these commemorated persons were of Ledston Hall. A window on the south side of the chancel contains glass showing 3 achievements of Sir John Lewis, probably by Henry Gyles of York (1640–1709).