Church Of All Saints

Church of All Saints

This church at Spelsbury dates from the 11th to 15th centuries, with significant later modifications. The structure was partly rebuilt in the 18th century for the Earls of Litchfield—the tower in 1706, the chancel in 1740, and the nave and transepts probably largely rebuilt in 1774—and underwent restoration with chancel remodelling in 1851.

The building is constructed from coursed squared limestone with ashlar dressings, part-roughcast limestone rubble, and is roofed with sheet-metal and Stonesfield slate. It comprises a chancel, transepts, nave, north and south aisles, and a west tower.

The chancel and flanking transepts have steep stone-slate roofs with gable parapets. The chancel contains a 3-light 19th-century Decorated-style east window set into a wider 18th-century opening. The gable walls of the transepts feature plain 18th-century round-headed recesses. Large square-headed 3-light windows with ogee tracery, casement moulds and labels are set into the east walls of the transepts; these are probably reused 15th-century work and are matched by the side windows of the 2-bay aisles. The aisles also have further 18th-century recesses in their west walls. Plain parapets on the aisles are repeated on the 15th-century clerestory, which has square-headed 2-light windows. Lead rainwater heads are dated 1774.

The broad 2-stage west tower has a roughcast lower part, probably 11th or 12th century, with shallow clasping pilaster strips extending to ground level and central strips terminating north and south above vanished transepts or wings. On the west side, these strips terminate above a round-headed blind arch, partly destroyed by a 3-light 14th-century window with reticulated tracery. The west doorway, with complex continuous mouldings, is also 14th-century. The rubble upper stage of the tower, with projecting ashlar quoins, is probably entirely of 1706 except for the 2-light bell-chamber openings, which have 11th or 12th-century round arches on turned shafts with cushion capitals; these are set into 18th-century outer arches. A crenellated parapet with corner pinnacles crowns the tower.

Internally, the 19th-century chancel walls have full-height blind arcades containing the Lee tombs, with further arches opening to the transepts. A panelled stone reredos and piscina are probably also 19th-century, as is the chancel arch springing from double shafts on angel corbels. Above the arch is a traceried vesica. The nave has 2-bay 13th-century arcades with arches of 2 chamfered orders on circular columns with moulded bases and capitals. Plain pointed 19th-century arches open eastwards to the transepts. The wide tower arch has 12th-century responds with square abaci and angle shafts with cushion capitals, though the pointed arch of 2 chamfered orders is 13th or 14th-century. The side walls of the tower retain the hood moulds of blocked pointed arches. All fittings are 19th-century, and the east window contains late 19th-century stained glass.

A notable series of monuments survives, including numerous 17th and 18th-century brass coffin plates to members of the Lee family and to John, Earl of Rochester (died 1680). The chancel tombs are particularly significant: that of Sir Henry Lee (died 1631) is a panelled alabaster chest carrying two recumbent figures surrounded by kneeling children, with an elaborate canopy on black Doric columns carrying a heraldic achievement in a broken pediment; the first Earl and Countess of Litchfield (died 1716 and 1717/18) have a white marble tablet flanked by scrolls, skulls and batswings below an achievement of arms; the third Earl (died 1772) is commemorated by a monument designed by Henry Keene and sculpted by W. Tyler, showing a perspective of urns in an oval recess surmounted by an oak tree and cherub; the fourth Earl (died 1776) is represented by a yellow marble sarcophagus surmounted by cherubs and a red marble urn, also sculpted by W. Tyler. The north transept contains a large monument to the 14th Viscount Dillon (died 1865) with an effigy under an elaborate canopy with pierced cusping.

The tower was probably formerly at the centre of a cruciform church with narrower arms, or was possibly originally a tower-nave. It may survive from a pre-Conquest building.