Church Of All Saints

HEMPSTEAD TG 13 NW 3/25 Church of All Saints 4.10.60 II*

Parish church, C14 and later, altered and re-roofed in C18. Coursed flint and brick with black glazed pantile roof. North-west tower and vestry, nave (formerly south aisle) with apse, south porch. Tower: medieval east half of flint, west half rebuilt in brick, dated 1744 on plaque on south side; brick parapet; bell openings on all 4 sides in honeycombed brick; 2 large stepped buttresses in brick to west. Medieval gargoyle incorporated into low flint lean-to under pantiles to west. Buttress to south of tower in undressed flint. West wall of nave in galletted coursed flint; brick parapet to gable; early C14 2-light window under trefoil. Nave walls of coursed flint; eaves rebuilt in brick with dentil cornice; 2 windows each side of 3 lights with plain heads, the mullions, some renewed, are medieval with tracery removed. Two C18 slanting brick buttresses to north. One brick and flint buttress of 1925 to south wall. Brick east gable surmounted by cross. Thatched apse of 1925 in pebble flint with brick dressings; two narrow round headed lights; east window of 1876 in C14 style repositioned in apse, 2 lights under a trefoil, label stops of foliage. Porch with plain rendered brick arch; brick gable surmounted by cross; quoins of alternating narrow bricks and flints. South door with deep continuous ogee moulding under hood mould. Vestry to east of tower, of rendered flint with lean-to roof of black glazed pantiles to present nave has north doorway, with internal rear arch, now blocked and part glazed, with hollow chamfered continuous moulding and deeply rolled hood mould. Interior: C18 west galley supported by earlier moulded joists; large rendered round headed arch to vestry, possibly C18; tall plain tower arch to vestry; one medieval bench with multilated poppy heads; late C17/early C18 communion table with renewed top; communion rails incorporate thin C18 barley sugar balusters; chancel fittings of 1876; one medieval encaustic tile by door.

Listing NGR: TG1047037038