Church Of All Saints

Church of All Saints

This is a Grade I parish church built in 1713 by Henry Bell, located at North Runcton. The church replaces an earlier building whose tower collapsed in August 1701.

The exterior comprises a west tower with attached vestries to the north and south, a nave and aisles in one, and a chancel. The walls are rendered with plain tiles, the base constructed of carstone with stone dressings.

The three-stage tower has rusticated quoins to the first and second stages and angle pilasters to the third stage. The parapet features urn finials at the angles and a white painted wood fleche surmounted by a gold ball and weather vane. A semi-circular west doorway with keystone is flanked by Tuscan half columns with a pediment above and double-leaved door with leaded fanlight. The second stage has north and south faces each with a leaded oeil-de-boeuf, a sundial to the south below the bell opening, and keyed semi-circular bell openings with wooden Y tracery.

The single-storey vestries to north and south are set back, each with a high parapet featuring a blank pediment. Each vestry has a segmental-headed fixed leaded light under the blank pediment facing north and south.

The south nave is rusticated at the angles with three bays. The central bay breaks forward under a pediment containing a sundial and rusticated quoins. Bays one and three have segmental-headed lights each under a keyed oeil-de-boeuf with scalloped leaded pivoted light. The central bay contains a semi-circular-headed light with wide continuous margin lights with radiating glazing bars. The north nave matches the south but without the sundial and with deep shaped buttresses at the angles.

The chancel is constructed of carstone and sandstone with a limestone cap to the plinth. Red brick pilasters are positioned at the angles. The south chancel has two red brick pilasters with a central organ bay of 1894 matching the style, featuring a pedimented gable to the south with shaped kneelers over brick pilasters and semi-circular-headed lights. The east chancel has a continuous red brick frieze, with a central opening flanked by red brick pilasters, a gable with red brick semi-circular hood mould above the central light, and a gable cross. The north chancel has two brick pilasters flanking a central light as on the east chancel.

A large lead-covered vault dating from circa 1837 is located within the angle of the north chancel and nave buttress, with limestone slab walls. The vault bears shields of Gurney impaling Hay.

The interior features a large dome above the nave with ribs of overlapping leaves and cherubs. Four tapering Ionic columns on tall bases support the dome, with capitals displaying egg-and-dart echinus and festoons between volutes. A panelled ceiling surrounds the dome outside the columns. A semi-circular arch to the tower is framed by clasping Ionic pilasters with capitals matching those of the nave, a small egg-and-dart moulding above, and a panelled arch reveal.

A tripartite chancel arch has pairs of Ionic columns in depth in antis with matching capitals, hood moulding and panelled reveals. The central arch is taller and keyed.

The east wall and sanctuary returns feature panelling designed by Henry Bell in 1684 for the Church of St. Margaret, King's Lynn. Fluted and gilded Corinthian pilasters under a gilded cornice articulate painted canvas panels above raised wooden panels. The panels were painted by Lamponi and depict the evangelists. A reredos recessed across the east window contains a painting of the risen Christ.

The church contains vase-turned rails and a 17th-century table with bulbous legs and strapwork frieze, the top extended. A central candelabra of 1713 has two tiers and a cherub, with smaller candelabras at either end of both aisles. A slender grey marble font with small bowl and vase stem is also present.

Mural monuments date to 1727 and 1720 (north side) and 1718 and circa 1720 (south side), all featuring convex cartouches with achievements, cherubs and swags. A recess in the west wall of the south aisle contains a mural monument of 1755. Beneath the tower is a wooden achievement of George I dated 1719, with flanking seated angels in fretwork.