Church Of All Saints

Church of All Saints

A Grade I listed parish church on Church Street, Misterton. The building represents a sequence of construction and alteration spanning the 13th to 20th centuries, with the tower and spire comprehensively rebuilt in 1847–8 including partial restoration of the wider structure.

The church is built in ashlar with ashlar dressings, coursed squared rubble, and rendering, with lead roofs throughout. It comprises a west tower, nave, chancel, north and south aisles, and a south porch.

The west tower stands in two stages, faced in striated ashlar with the second stage rendered. It features a chamfered plinth, string course, and a broach spire with two tiers of lucarnes. Plain buttresses with single setoffs sit at the north-east and south-east corners, engaged with the aisles. Clasp buttresses with two setoffs plus plinths occupy the south-west and north-west corners. The west side displays a single chamfered and rebated lancet window with hoodmould, mask stops, and dogtooth. The second stage contains four chamfered and rebated openings holding 14th-century paired lancets with Y tracery, each with hoodmould featuring dogtooth and mask stops.

The north aisle comprises seven bays with chamfered plinth, moulded string course, eaves, parapet, and seven gargoyles. Diagonal buttresses sit at the north-east and north-west corners, with six intermediate buttresses, all featuring two setoffs. A 15th-century chamfered opening on the west contains a cusped-head triple lancet with panel tracery. The north side includes, to the west, a 15th-century four-centred arched doorway with moulded surround, now partly blocked and fitted with 20th-century glazing. To the east are three 19th-century chamfered and rebated openings holding Decorated-style triple lancets with cusped heads, panel tracery, and chamfered mullions. Further east, a 14th-century chamfered and rebated opening contains a double lancet with Decorated tracery and coved mullions. Adjacent is a 14th-century coved opening holding a double lancet with cusped heads and panel tracery. An east window in a 19th-century chamfered and rebated opening displays a triple Decorated lancet. To its left hangs an early 18th-century memorial cartouche carved with skull and drapery; the inscription is illegible. The nave clerestorey spans three bays with moulded eaves on the south side only and a coped gable with cross. On either side are three 15th-century square-headed coved and rebated openings with label moulds, each containing plain triple lancets.

The chancel comprises two bays. Its south side has a single intermediate buttress with two setoffs and a single north-east buttress; a pair of angle buttresses at the south-east have three setoffs. The east end only displays a chamfered plinth and moulded string course. The east end features a chamfered and rebated surround containing a 17th-century quadruple lancet with trefoil heads and unusual tracery, with hoodmould and mask stops, above which sits a coped gable with cross. Two memorial tablets adjoin: one from the 18th century to Nicholas Walton, Master Shipwright, and a slate tablet dated 1771 to Robert Hickson, rope maker. The south side holds, to the west, a four-centred arched splayed opening containing a 15th-century triple lancet with cusped heads. To the east is a four-centred arched priest's door with splayed opening, followed by two four-centred arched splayed openings containing 15th-century double lancets.

The south aisle spans three bays with chamfered plinth, moulded string course, and moulded coped parapet. A diagonal buttress sits at the south-east corner alongside three further buttresses, all with two setoffs. Three coved and splayed openings with label moulds each contain 15th-century triple lancets with cusped heads.

The south porch is of 15th-century date, square in plan, and engaged with the south aisle. A single diagonal buttress at the south-west features two setoffs. The porch has chamfered plinth, moulded string course, and a coped gable with cross above. A 19th-century chamfered pointed arched doorway displays a plain hoodmould. The interior preserves a 15th-century kingpost roof with moulded tie beam and purlins. The porch contains two headstones dated 1797 and 1861, and a slate headstone to Richard and Mary Kellet dated 1721 and 1722. The south doorway features a double-rebated and chamfered opening with cove-end roll moulded head and dogtooth band; the door itself is 19th-century panelled work.

Interior

The nave arcade to the north comprises 13th- and 14th-century work in three bays. Two octagonal piers with chamfered square bases support stylised oak-leaf capitals. Arches are double-chamfered and rebated with mask imposts. The south arcade is 14th-century, with two octagonal piers featuring tapered octagonal bases and moulded capitals; the arches are double-chamfered and rebated with octagonal responds. A rendered clerestorey above holds three square openings on either side. The 19th-century kingpost roof features curved brackets rising from corbels to moulded tie beams and principal timbers, with two gilt angels mounted on the easternmost brackets.

A 13th-century font has a decorated plinth with tapered octagonal bowl and is dated 1660. The nave also contains a 19th-century pulpit, lectern, and plain pews. A board bearing Royal Arms is inscribed "J. Addinell of Doncaster, painter, 1721".

The tower arch is 13th-century with triple chamfering and rebating, plain hoodmould and imposts, and a four-centred arched doorway. To the north, a circa 1200 tower arch features triple chamfering and rebating with octagonal stiff-leaf imposts, dogtooth label mould with mask stops, and a 20th-century four-centred arched doorway with close-boarded door.

The north aisle is rendered; its westernmost bay is blocked to form a vestry. Splayed window openings include a 15th-century stained-glass example in the third bay from the west. The fourth bay to the east contains a 13th-century double-chamfered and rebated arch with stiff-leaf imposts. The east window holds important stained glass by Piper and Reyntiens from 1965. At the east end, a rectangular aumbry occupies the north wall, with memorial tablets from 1808, 1824, and three from the 20th century. The roof is 19th-century, incorporating some re-used timber, with moulded rafters, chamfered purlins, and curved brackets from corbels. Plain 19th-century pews complete the space.

The chancel arch is 13th-century, double-chamfered and rebated with plain octagonal imposts. The north arcade of the chancel dates circa 1200 and to later 13th-century work. Two octagonal piers with tapered octagonal bases support double-chamfered and rebated arches with plain hoodmoulds; the western respond holds a moulded capital, while the eastern respond is plain octagonal. The east window contains stained glass from 1901 and displays re-set corbels at either side at sill level with plain chamfered and splayed reveals. The south side includes a pointed-headed 14th-century piscina to the east, three windows with splayed reveals and 19th-century stained glass, and a square-headed priest's door. The chancel roof is 19th-century kingpost design with chamfered tie beams and purlins supported by curved brackets from corbels featuring traceried panels. Memorials include one from 1889 on the south, a classical-style tablet from 1836 and 1847 on the north.

The south aisle is rendered with splayed window reveals; the central window displays stained glass from 1918. Its 19th-century roof sits above. At the east end are fragments of 14th-century Decorated screen work serving as a reredos and a fragment of 17th-century carved panelling. Four 19th-century memorial brasses and plain 19th-century pews complete the fittings.