Church Of All Saints

The Church of All Saints is a parish church with medieval origins, significantly restored between 1873 and 1874. It comprises a nave, chancel, south chapel, west tower, and north porch. The principal material is flint rubble with stone dressings, covered by a plaintiled roof. The west tower is of 15th century construction, built of knapped flint, rises in four stages with diagonal buttresses and a crenellated parapet decorated with flushwork. The tracery to the belfry openings is now missing. The nave has three bays with 2-light Perpendicular style windows, most of which were renewed in the 19th century, and a 14th century doorway. The north porch is 15th century, featuring 2-light square-headed side windows. A semi-circular headed niche in the south nave wall contains a weathered coat of arms, and beneath it is a tomb chest dedicated to John Felton (died 1703). The chancel has two bays with 19th century windows in Perpendicular style. To the south of the chancel is a three-bay chapel of 15th century origin.

The interior includes a two-bay chapel arcade, and a further bay to the west of the chancel arch, potentially later, with carved heads on the capitals. Part of the east end of the chapel serves as a vestry, with a doorway bearing carved label stops. The chancel arch and all roofs were renewed in the mid-19th century. The nave has a good arched-braced roof of four bays, with intermediate trusses, crown posts braced to the collar purlin, side purlins, and arched wind-bracing. The chancel has a boarded wagon roof. A restored piscina is located in the chancel, and a simpler one in the chapel. A 15th century carved octagonal front, built on a two-stepped base with quarterfoil tracery to the riser, is also present. A screen below the tower arch incorporates two traceried panels from the former rood screen’s dado. The furnishings are mostly mid-to-late 19th century, although six 15th century poppyhead bench ends remain in the nave. A 17th century painted wooden panel commemorating two members of the Duke family is on the northwest nave wall. The chapel contains a marble wall monument by Chantrey to two members of the Sparrow family who died in 1809 and 1818. Two early 16th century effigy braces depicting Nicholas Wrenne and his wife have been remounted on the north chancel wall.