Parish Church Of All Saints (Church Of England)

Parish Church of All Saints

This is a parish church of the Church of England located in Little Munden. The building comprises a nave and chancel dating to the 11th century, a 14th-century north aisle with the west half of a northeast chapel, and a 15th-century west tower with the east part of the northeast chapel. The church was substantially restored between 1868 and 1875 (sources vary on the exact dates) by the architects G and H Godwin, during which the north and south porches and south vestry were added.

The church is constructed in flint rubble with flint facing and stone dressings, beneath steep old red tile roofs topped with a lead spike and vane. The tall rectangular nave connects to a narrower square-ended chancel through an 11th-century arched opening, originally indicating a north porticus or aisle. This opening was given a pointed arch during restoration, though the capitals on each side retain their 3 projecting rolls with herringbone hatching. A small 12th-century south door remains in the chancel.

The 14th-century enlargements introduced a two-bay north arcade and aisle with octagonal piers and double-chamfered arches. A west arch leads into the northeast chapel, which contains a two-centred Decorated arch from the chancel housing the altar tomb of Sir John Thornbury (died c.1396) with effigies of knight and lady. The chest features quatrefoil panels with shields separated by figures in buttressed niches. Immediately to the east in a wall opening between the altar and the east end of the northeast chapel stands the canopied altar tomb of Sir Philip Thornbury (died 1456) and his lady.

The chancel features a three-light east window, a quatrefoil-headed piscina south of the altar, a two-light south window, and a 19th-century boarded and battened waggon roof. Buttressed oak choir stalls are present. An ogee label with crockets and finials and a lozenge-panelled soffit crown an early 15th-century tomb canopy north of the altar. The chancel arch, dating to the early 15th century, is wide with two moulded orders, labels, and jamb shafts.

A rood stair is built into the northeast corner of the aisle, with Tudor arched upper and lower openings and a corresponding narrow passage through the north wall of the nave. The northeast chapel contains a 15th-century window in its east and north walls. Its roof is a two-bay crown-post design with three octagonal posts featuring moulded caps and bases, four-way bracing, and moulded corbels supporting a cornice below ashlar pieces. A three-centred arched low tomb recess occupies the north wall at the raised east half. A late 15th-century three-bay oak screen with open traceried upper panels and an ogee-arched centre is positioned here.

The nave contains three crocketed niches, one with part of a figure on the east respond of the arcade, and a single three-light 15th-century window on the south. The 14th-century south doorway features two continuously moulded orders. A wide 15th-century west doorway with moulded jambs and pointed head opens into the tower, which was given a stone ribbed vault to ground-floor level in the 19th century. The north aisle contains two late 15th-century three-light windows and a 15th-century two-light west window. The north doorway, also 15th century, has a four-centred head, continuously moulded jambs, and an old battened door.

The nave roof is a 14th-century three-bay crown-post design with four tie beams, two octagonal crown-posts with moulded caps and bases, and four-way bracing. The aisle roof is a 19th-century boarded and battened lean-to structure. Royal Arms on a pointed panel stand on the organ loft at the west end of the nave, and a hatchment is positioned on the east wall of the aisle.

The three-stage west tower features an embattled parapet and set-back spike. The west door has continuously moulded jambs, carved spandrels, a square outer-order, and battlemented top. A west window and bell-chamber openings of two lights are present. Gabled stone porches with gable parapets and crosses protect the north and south entries. Two 11th-century pilaster stripes appear in the walling over the south porch.

This is a small parish church of exceptional interest for its interior and fine monuments.