Church Of All Saints

Church of All Saints

Parish church. The west tower, believed to date from circa 1510, was built for Sir William Capell. The remainder of the church consists of a 19th-century nave, chancel, choir, vestry and south porch, with a circa 1914 sanctuary and clergy vestry added later.

The building is constructed of red brick with red tiled roofs and stone dressings to 19th-century windows. The 20th-century windows are of moulded red brick.

The very fine west tower measures 11 feet by 10 feet and comprises three stages. The tower features some blue brick diapering. Diagonal stepped buttresses are set back to the north east, with an octagonal stair turret to the south east. This turret has a moulded band to the first and third stages, is crenellated to the second stage and has a pyramidal four-stage capping. The tower has a moulded plinth with a panelled course; four panels contain shields, two are blank, and two contain a lion and an anchor respectively. Other panels are decorated with quatrefolls. Slit lights illuminate each stage. Plinth and stage bands run across all faces. The parapet is crenellated with panels beneath, and crocketed pinnacles mark the angles. A small window with four-centred head lights the north and south walls. The bell chamber has four walls, each with transomed two-light louvre openings under a four-centred head. A slightly projecting west doorway and window are plastered, with oriel niches to half window height on right and left. The doorway has continuously moulded jambs and a four-centred arch beneath a square head with label. A three-light window with four-centred head and label is positioned above. A moulded brick crow-stepped pediment, surmounted by a crocketed pinnacle, tops the composition. The sunken centre panel now contains a clock face.

The 19th-century nave has angle buttresses surmounted by pinnacles, three two-stage buttresses and four two-light windows to north and south walls. The south porch features a doorway similar in style to the windows, with a parapet to the gable. A circular window lights the east wall gable apex, with single-light windows to north and south.

The 20th-century sanctuary has domed angle buttresses and an angled clergy vestry with flat roof. The east window comprises three moulded brick lights with cusping and circles with tracery, set in a semi-circular head with label extending to buttresses. A cusped three-light window serves the vestry, with two lights having moulded four-centred heads and one light with a cusped segmental head. The building has a moulded brick plinth throughout.

Interior

The tower arch is now double, with the eastern arch of 19th-century date. The original four-centred west arch has responds shafted with moulded capitals to the east and chamfered to the west. A replica Capell helm occupies the tower.

The nave features arched braces and side struts to a Queen post roof with circular bracing above. Pendants to Queen posts and arched braces on corbels support the tie beams. Coloured glass lights the windows. The arms of the Earls of Essex are displayed above the south door.

A 17th-century plain stone font and a restored 14th-century octagonal font are present. The octagonal font is carved with panels depicting a lion, eagle, ox and man, IHS, cross, dove and hand of God. Two carved wooden angels, believed to be from the old church, are also in the nave. A 19th-century carved oak pulpit and a carved oak choir screen of 1901, a memorial to Queen Victoria and carved by J.L. Rudken, complete the furnishings.

The chancel contains a 16th-century carved oak rector's stall and a 15th-century carved oak panel above the entrance to the clergy vestry. An organ by Bevington of London is installed. Stone slabs of circa 1480 lie in front of the altar with indents of a man in armour and a woman with a butterfly head-dress.

The sanctuary holds 15th-century sedilia and aumbry of carved oak, and a circa 1914 reredos with 15 carved oak panels of 17th-century date. A 14th-century altar rail with carved panels is also present. Stained glass depicting saints, created in 1914 by the Norwich Glass Company, lights all the windows.