Church Of All Saints

Church of All Saints

This is a parish church of medieval origin, substantially rebuilt in the 19th century. The building dates from the early 13th century, with 14th and 15th century work; the east end was rebuilt in 1778, and the church was rebuilt and enlarged again in 1895.

The exterior is constructed of rubblestone with ashlar dressings, beneath lead and plain tile roofs. The building comprises a west tower, nave, north and south aisles, north vestry, south porch with organ chamber, and chancel. It features a continuous plinth and cornice throughout, with buttresses with set-offs.

The west tower is of two stages and dates from the 14th century. It has diagonal buttresses and an embattled parapet, with two string courses. The west elevation displays a double-chamfered pointed arch west doorway with plank door, above which is a chamfered pointed arch two-light window. In the second stage is a chamfered pointed arch two-light louvred bell-opening, with four ascending loop holes to its left. The south elevation contains the remains of a chamfered window frame beneath a 20th century octagonal Swithland slate clock face dated "1819: Thomas Clark, James Wilson Churchwardens". Above this is a similar bell-opening. The north and east elevations have comparable bell-openings.

The clerestory on both north and south elevations contains four two-light windows with chamfered rectangular frames, and a similar 19th century window in the chancel.

The north aisle features a 19th century single-light west window with hoodmould. Attached to the north is a 19th century vestry with coped parapet. The west wall of the vestry has a chamfered pointed arch doorway with hoodmould and plank door, followed by two buttresses. The east wall contains a two-light window with chamfered square frame. Proceeding east along the north aisle are a chamfered four-centred arch two-light window, a buttress, another similar window, another buttress, and a similar window in the east wall.

The south aisle contains a 19th century chamfered pointed arch two-light window with hoodmould. The 19th century south porch has a plain tile roof and coped gables with kneelers and cross finials. It features diagonal buttresses and a chamfered pointed arch doorway with hoodmould and double plank doors. Small trefoiled windows appear in the east and west walls, with a double-moulded pointed arch south doorway containing 20th century double doors. A 19th century sill band runs from the porch to the end of the aisle. To the east of the porch are two chamfered pointed arch two-light windows with hoodmoulds, and a scratch dial at the wall's end. The 19th century organ chamber occupies the south-east corner with a coped east gable with kneelers and contains a single two-light window with square frame in its south wall.

The 19th century chancel continues the nave's roofline and has a polygonal east end with string course and buttresses. The south-east and north-east faces each contain a single tall chamfered pointed arch window. The north wall has a large bricked-up opening with brick segmental arch. The east window is chamfered pointed arch with hoodmould.

Interior

The interior contains a narrow double-chamfered tower arch with polygonal responds bearing capitals and bases. The nave has three-bay arches with double chamfered arches throughout.

The north arcade contains two 13th century bays. The western bay has a rounded respond with capital decorated with water leaf carving and a base, followed by a circular pier with octagonal abacus and capital with water leaf decoration and base. The eastern bay has a round respond with capital with water leaf crocket decoration and base. Beyond this is a hiatus of wall, then a 14th century bay with polygonal responds displaying remains of a capital on the north side of the west respond.

The south arcade has two bays to the west with polygonal responds bearing partial capitals and bases, and a similarly treated polygonal pier. To the east is a hiatus of wall, then a 14th century bay with inner arch carried on polygonal corbels.

The 15th century north aisle contains a plain doorway in its north-west corner leading to the vestry. The 14th century south aisle features a chamfered pointed arch to the organ chamber and a heavily-moulded ogee-arched piscina in the south-east corner.

The 19th century chancel is separated from the nave by a low stone screen pierced by quatrefoils in circles, terminating to the north in a polygonal stone pulpit with quatrefoils and trefoils in its sides. The chancel has panelled walls and a stone reredos with tracery picked out in gold, along with 19th century altar table rails, pews, stalls, and an elaborate painted iron lectern. Two portable organs are present.

A 12th century drum font with decorative arching sits on five short shafts, three of which have twisted baluster form possibly dating to the 17th century. The font has a 19th century lid.

The roof is 15th century with moulded beams and moulded trusses with bosses. The north aisle roof was restored in the 19th century but retains some 15th century timber. The south aisle and chancel roofs are 19th century. Stone flagged floors are present throughout, and 19th century stained glass is installed.

Monuments and Fittings

The nave contains three hatchments above the tower arch on the west wall, two late 19th century marble wall memorials flanking the tower arch, and a single WWI memorial on the north wall.

The north aisle displays a large brass plaque mounted on marble referring to the endowment of Baroness Brave (died 1862) on the north wall, and a grey and white wall memorial to James Floyd (died 1817) on the north wall at the east end.

The south aisle contains a 20th century wall memorial on the south wall to the east of the door and a single WWI memorial to the west of the door. A square wooden bequest board referring to James Floyd appears above the south door. The Royal Arms in a square wooden panel dated 1798 is mounted on the west wall, with 19th century panelling inscribed with the Ten Commandments below it.

Nineteenth century painted shields appear on truss ends.