Church Of All Saints

TQ 36 NE 1005/3/10047

BRIDLE ROAD CHURCH OF ALL SAINTS

II

Parish Church. 1955-6 by Curtis Green, Son and Lloyd. Handmade brick set in Flemish bond, sweeping tile roof, rendered interior. Square nave with four columns, western baptistry, and Eastern choir and sanctuary under low tower flanked to north by vestries and to the south by a long Lady chapel. Long lancet windows, with line of low windows under the big roofs to Lady chapel and vestries, the form of these repeated in the line of dormers in the roof. Spirelet to tower. The big porches continue low over the porches, two to north and south either side of the nave, which is treated with projecting gables in the manner of true transepts. South-western porch has glass depicting St George salvaged from St George, Canterbury, bombed in 1942 and the compensation from which paid for All Saints. Interior with stone columns, supporting narrow arched vaults to main space and similar arcading to low aisles. Exposed rafters to star-shaped central roof space. Bench seating, stone font, hanging lights. Choir up two steps, with screen and pulpit, choir stalls and organ. Another step leads to altar rails and organ. Lady chapel defined by fluted stone columns, arranged as two central pairs with a third forming a pilaster surround to the altar. Curved plaster ceiling continues the form of the rendered walls. East window is triangular, and has glass by Frederick Cole of Wippells of Exeter, in memory of Lieutenant Ralph Stebbing RA. Forward altar set up a single step. All Saints is the only post-war church by this important firm of designers, who combined traditional elements with modern simple forms in work which was always of high quality. This is a remarkably complete and well crafted composition which compares well with their listed work of the 1930s.

Listing NGR: TQ3712465851