Parish Church Of All Saints

Parish Church of All Saints

A parish church with Norman origins, substantially developed over the medieval period and subject to significant restoration in the nineteenth century. The building comprises a chancel, nave with aisles, clerestorey, tower, and twentieth-century vestry.

The Norman period is represented by the chancel arch and east nave wall. The nave arcades date to around 1300 and comprise three bays with a shortened western bay incorporating the original south porch. The piers are quatrefoil in plan with fillets between, bell capitals and bases; the arches are two-centred with two hollow chamfered orders. The south aisle was widened in the early fifteenth century; the north aisle was demolished in 1779 and rebuilt in 1864. The south aisle was restored in 1855 and the south porch reconstructed in 1847, retaining its original stone bench.

The chancel dates to the thirteenth century. It was substantially rebuilt in 1847 except for its south wall, with the roof designed by Augustus Welby Northmore Pugin. The chancel contains a fifteenth-century priests' door and south window. A thirteenth-century double piscena with arch to the west and a plain aumbrey to the east survive, along with a two-centred arched niche. The chancel arch is plain with round-headed form and roll moulding, springing from plain shafted capitals.

The nave roof is of four bays with braced moulded tie beams and centre drop finials with rosettes. The moulded intermediate posts are set against a late eighteenth-century plastered ceiling with cornice featuring embattled and banner decoration. The nave clerestorey is of early sixteenth-century date. The nave was possibly extended in the late fourteenth century and carries a fourteenth-century tower with fifteenth-century embattled parapet and finials. The tower is of three stages with a moulded plinth and single-light square-headed belfry windows.

The walls are constructed of Barnack limestone and limestone ashlar and rubble, plastered, with brick repairs and limestone and clunch dressings. Roofs are of plain tile with modern tiles to the chancel.

The south elevation displays the tower of three stages with embattled parapet and corner finials. The clerestorey contains two three-light windows with four-centred heads and sunk spandrels; the nave window comprises four similar lights with square head and drip mould. The south porch is modern, though its south doorway seen by William Cole in 1744 may represent a sixteenth-century copy of a Norman arch. Two restored south aisle windows contain two cinquefoil lights. The chancel east wall carries the cinquefoil-light window and priests' door of fifteenth-century date; a monument to Thomas Cannon (1726) is also positioned here.

The interior contains a C13 plain octagonal font. The south aisle retains a defaced fifteenth-century niche, piscena with shelf, and locker rebated for door. A fine thirteenth-century font of plain octagonal form is present.

Monuments include a brass of 1553 inscribed to William Coke Knight, one of the Kings Justices, with two robed figures and five small brass insets of children, inscribed 'Pray for the soul of William Coke Knight one of the Kings Justices died 1553' and 'without law the People come to ruin'. Wall monuments include works by notable sculptors: Flaxman's marble monument to Elizabeth, wife of Samuel Knight (1800), with two sculptured figures; Chantrey's marble monument to Samuel Knight (1823) with draped altar stone and dove; and a plain pedimented marble slab by A. Swinton of Cambridge to Samuel Knight (1835) and his widow (1844). A brass plate to John Harris (1659) bears small incised kneeling figures and a shield of arms.

Glass of note includes Flemish seventeenth-century glass in the east window of the north aisle, removed in 1983 for alterations. The south aisle window contains three shields of arms, including those of Margaret of Anjou, foundress of Queens College. The chancel east window glass is of note; the south porch window is by Constable of Cambridge; the south aisle contains glass with initial I.P.B. dated 1845.

Interior furnishings include reused seventeenth-century panelling in pews and a carved panelled door to the vestry. A fine seventeenth-century communion table is present. Fifteenth-century choir stalls with misericords possibly faced each other. A seventeenth-century altar rail from Kings College chapel was introduced by William Cole in 1779. Royal arms from Landbeach church are displayed above the south door.

A vestry was added in 1972, with plans to link the south aisle to the new building made in 1983. The south aisle was restored in 1855 and the south porch in 1847.