Church Of All Saints

Church of All Saints

Parish church of the 13th century, with 15th-century additions and probably 17th-century elements; restored in the 19th century. The building is constructed of coursed rubble, rendered in parts, with ashlar used for the tower, porches, and parts of the aisles. Lead roofs feature segmental parapets at the east end.

The church comprises a tower, nave with north and south aisles, north and south porches, and chancel. The building is buttressed throughout, with the exception of the chancel and north aisle south of the porch, and stands on a plinth.

The diagonally buttressed 15th-century tower is a single stage with a string course above the plinth. The west face has a single arched two-light window with tracery, and the bell chamber is lit by four two-light arched openings. The west side features a single small rectangular window, with two on the south side. The tower is embattled and crowned with four crocketed pinnacles, with guttering running beneath.

The north aisle has a lancet window on its west side. The 15th-century north porch is gabled with coped details and three crocketed pinnacles. Three gargoyles adorn the porch, with single gargoyles on the east and west walls. The central doorway has a moulded arch with hoodmould and label stops, flanked by two niches with ogee arches. The aisle window west of the porch is arched with two lights and tracery. To the east is a two-light square-headed traceried window with hoodmould and label stops. The clerestorey contains three square-headed windows.

The chancel, with probably 17th-century fenestration, features tall two-light arched transom and mullion windows with tracery and stops at either end. To the north of the doorway are two engaged columns with capitals (the inner damaged), supporting imposts with moulded arch, hoodmould and label stops. East of the door is a lozenge-shaped window containing a quatrefoil with tracery, followed by a two-light arched and traceried window with quatrefoil. A string course runs around the chancel at the level of the transom window. The east end, strengthened by three tie plates, displays a triple lancet window: the centre lancet is narrower and taller with an arched transom, with segments of circles at its foot on either side; the flanking lancets each contain single lights with tracery. The south wall of the chancel mirrors the north, though the door lacks hoodmould and label stops, and the easternmost window contains four small circles in a larger circle rather than a quatrefoil. The south aisle's east-facing window is probably 17th-century with two lights, cusping, and arched tracery.

The 15th-century south porch is gabled and projecting. Its flanking windows are both traceried with two lights, square heads, and hoodmoulds; the western example has label stops. The central doorway is arched with imposts, hoodmould and label stops, flanked by two single lancets. The clerestorey mirrors that of the north. The west wall of the south aisle has a single lancet. The south aisle was encased in 19th-century ashlar. The north interior porch door features an elaborate blind traceried 15th-century door with imposts supporting a chamfered arch, hoodmould and label stops.

Interior

The aisles are separated from the nave by three bays of 13th-century arcades with alternating circular and octagonal piers. The piers feature plain moulded capitals and chamfered arches with hoodmoulds and label stops on the nave side only. A 13th-century tower arch separates the tower from the nave. The chancel and nave are separated by a chamfered arch with octagonal piers and pin capitals; the chancel side has label stops. The chancel interior features a corresponding string course to the exterior.

The choir stalls have blind tracery and poppyheads. The 17th-century altar rail is balustraded, with a 17th-century panel surround to the altar and fanciful carving to the reredos. Ci3 box pews line the aisles. The 15th-century central pews display varied blind tracery and varied, elaborate poppyheads; a few are 19th-century cast iron restorations. A 13th-century octagonal stone font features shields in quatrefoil panels. Behind the altar rails are four 18th-century floor stones.

Wall monuments include a well-executed decorated monument to Mary Sharpe with bust, dated around 1742, on the south chancel wall. The north-west wall bears a slate wall tablet with carved head in relief to George and Thomas Sharpe, dated around 1686. A similar tablet to Thomas and Winefrid Sharpe, dated around 1704, is positioned on the south-west wall.