Parish Church Of All Saints

The Parish Church of All Saints is a medieval church that has seen additions and alterations between 1852 and 1854 by Sir G. G. Scott, who is noted for creating "the finest mid-Victorian ecclesiastical ensemble in Bedfordshire." The church features a nave, chancel, west tower, north and south aisles, and a south porch. The western part of the nave contains remnants of what is likely Saxon work, as does the base of the tower. The tower arch and central stages are in the Early English style, while the parapet and pyramid roof are Victorian. The nave is primarily from the 13th century, with the north arcade added in the early 14th century and the nave extended. Most windows were reworked by Scott. The church includes a 15th-century clerestorey and a fine angel roof, with the south porch also dating from the 15th century, originally vaulted. The south doorway features impressive 13th-century ironwork similar to that found in Leighton Buzzard and Eaton Bray. The chancel was rebuilt by Scott during 1852-54. In a recess in the south aisle, there is an early 14th-century painting of the Crucifixion. The church boasts an impressive collection of monuments, including two 15th-century brasses in the south chapel and a tomb-chest of Sir John Mordaunt from 1506 in the south aisle. Between the chancel and south chapel is one of the most significant Tudor monuments in the county, dedicated to the first Lord Mordaunt from 1560, created by T. Kirby. This monument features alabaster effigies and a stone surround, with coupled Roman Doric columns and an arch adorned with chains of squares and circles, along with victories in the spandrels. The upper storey includes two caryatids. There are also effigies of the second Lord Mordaunt and his two wives, with the second Lord Mordaunt raised higher than his wives. The third Lord Mordaunt's tomb from 1601 is notable for its unusual design, featuring a black cloth of stone that hangs down like a pall, with the inscription in white on it.