Church Of All Saints

Church of All Saints

This is a parish church of 13th-century origin, substantially rebuilt between 1356 and around 1400 by Samson de Strelley. The clerestorey was added in the 15th century. The building was restored around 1850 by G. G. Place and again in 1895 by Hodgson Fowler. It is constructed of coursed and squared rubble and ashlar with lead roofs. The exterior features a chamfered, moulded eaves band, crenellated parapets and gables.

The church comprises a west tower, nave with clerestorey, north and south aisles, north and south transepts, chancel, and south porch.

The west tower stands in three stages with a small central buttress on each side and two string courses. It has a pyramid roof with weathercock. The first stage contains to the south two chamfered lancets, the upper one smaller, and to the west a similar lancet and stair light. The second stage has on each side the remains of blocked 13th-century double lancets with trefoil heads and hood moulds, with a clock to the south. The third stage has on each side double lancets with Tudor arched heads and hood moulds.

The clerestorey has three bays with on each side three untraceried triple lancets, restored, with continuous hood moulds. The north aisle spans three bays and has two plain buttresses plus a diagonal buttress to the west. The north side has to the east two cusped untraceried double lancets with square-headed reveals, and to the west a blocked chamfered doorway, with a similar double lancet at the west end. The south aisle has a central buttress flanked by single double lancets similar to those on the north aisle.

The north transept has two diagonal buttresses to the north. The north gable contains a Decorated double lancet, and the east side has a cusped ogee-headed triple lancet with square-headed reveal. The south transept is identical with the same window arrangement.

The chancel comprises two bays and has two diagonal buttresses at the east end with two setoffs. The north side has a cusped ogee-headed quadruple lancet, partly blocked at the foot, with square-headed reveal. The east end has a restored quadruple lancet with ornate panel tracery and Tudor arched reveal with hood mould and mask stops. The south side has a chamfered doorway to the west and to the right a quadruple lancet similar to the north side.

The gabled south porch has a slab roof with plain gable and cross. A pair of diagonal buttresses flank the south side, the eastern one having an octagonal crenellated pinnacle. The doorway is chamfered.

Interior

The porch interior has a pointed barrel vault and two stone benches. There is a chamfered pointed inner doorway and a chamfered and rebated tower arch of 13th-century date with mask imposts. The tower chamber contains painted wall panelling and a stained glass west window.

The nave arcades span three bays with octagonal piers with broached bases and moulded capitals. The rebated arches have mask imposts. The clerestorey windows contain patterned stained glass. The roof is low-pitched and dates to the 19th century, with arch braces and wall shafts. The aisles have 19th-century lean-to roofs with arch braces. The east ends have chamfered arches and 20th-century traceried screens. The north aisle west window contains stained glass fragments from the clerestorey, dating to 1913. The north side windows have stained glass panels of 16th and 17th-century date, installed in 1897. The east end has a fireplace with hood on corbels.

The chancel has a rebated arch and an outstanding late 14th-century ogee-headed traceried screen with restored crest and rood. Painted wall panelling runs throughout. The east end contains a 20th-century traceried reredos with figures and a stained glass window by Burlison and Grylls, 1914. The south side has a 14th-century cusped piscina to the east and a stained glass window of 1914. The roof is low-pitched and dates to the 19th century, with arch braces, stencilled panels and text.

The transepts each have a chamfered opening into the chancel, fitted with 20th-century traceried screens. The north transept east side has a small 14th-century piscina and a stained glass window of 1856. The north window contains late medieval stained glass fragments. The south transept forms the Edge Memorial chapel, with panelled walls and to the east a traceried panelled Memorial altar and reredos of 1918. The east window contains 16th and 17th-century stained glass, and the south window has stained glass of 1894. Both transepts have common rafter roofs.

Fittings include a 14th-century font with a plain octagonal bowl on a traceried stand with ogee openings. There is a traceried octagonal oak pulpit on a 19th-century ashlar base, with a carved 17th-century back panel and sounding board. A carved 17th-century armchair is present. Two sets of triple stalls date to the 15th century and include misericords. Late 19th-century traceried stalls have fleur-de-lys ends. 19th-century moulded benches and a 19th-century poor box on a post are also present.

Monuments

The monuments include an alabaster chest tomb with a frieze of angels carrying shields, supporting two full-size figures of Sir Samson de Strelley and his wife, dating to around 1400. A floor slab commemorates John de Strelley, 1421. A brass commemorates Sir Robert Strelley and his wife, 1487. An alabaster chest tomb with traceried sides carrying shields and two full-size effigies commemorates John de Strelley, 1501. Above is an ashlar canopy with a square-headed recess containing a frieze of angels and shields, with a pierced crest and traceried panel above containing three tabernacles with figures. Further monuments to the Edge family include a Classical marble and slate tablet with obelisk of 1766, a plain Classical tablet of 1803, a bordered tablet of 1931, and an oval tablet of 1978.