Church Of All Saints

Church of All Saints

This is an Anglican parish church of the 14th and 15th centuries, substantially restored with major rebuilding of the east end in 1871-72. The building comprises a west tower, nave, north and south aisles, north porch, north and south chapels, chancel and vestry. It is constructed from rubble and coursed squared rubble with freestone dressings, and is roofed with stone slate and slate.

The west tower, probably dating to the late 14th century and built for Thomas de Lyons (whose arms appear over the west window), is the most prominent external feature. It rises in three stages, the lowest constructed in ashlar with diagonal buttresses. The tower is crowned with an embattled parapet featuring pinnacles and gargoyles. The west window is a 4-light opening under a hoodmould with stops, while the second stage and bell chamber are lit by 2-light windows. The west door sits within a pointed and moulded surround topped by a hoodmould with carved head stops. A polygonal stair turret projects to the north-east, also with an embattled parapet and spirelet.

The remainder of the church shares embattled parapets. The north aisle and chapel feature setback buttresses and four 3-light Perpendicular style windows with cusped ogee heads to their tracery. The north porch presents an ashlar front with side buttresses and an ogee-hollow-ogee moulded doorway under a hoodmould with carved head stops.

The chancel, vestry and south chapel were all rebuilt in 1871-72 in the Perpendicular style. The chancel is lit by a 5-light east window, and the vestry is a single storey structure. The south aisle and chapel feature four 3-light Perpendicular style windows with cusped ogee heads, a projecting polygonal rood stair turret, and a south doorway with a hoodmould and carved head stops.

Interior

The north porch contains a 19th-century north door with an image niche above, and two defaced late 13th-century effigies, one to Willum de Snoudune, dated 1280.

The nave arcade comprises four bays with piers of four columns alternating with four wave mouldings; similar mouldings appear on the chancel arch and on the arches to the north and south chapels. The tower arch features a double wave moulding. The pulpit is a 19th-century addition in Perpendicular style, constructed in ashlar and hexagonal in plan. The font is octagonal and ashlar, with a blank arcade of two cusped ogee panels to each side; the top was replaced in 1950.

The screens across the nave and aisles are of very high quality and probably date to the late 15th century. The aisle screens have 2-light divisions while the nave screens have 3-light divisions, all featuring Perpendicular style tracery with cusped heads to the doorways; the central doorway has a sound head. The tops display two foliate friezes and three rows of cresting.

The stained glass includes a late 15th or early 16th-century set of figures of the Four Doctors in the south chancel window, together with other fragments including figures of ecclesiastics, knights and ladies, roses and a winged lion.

Monuments

The north or Lady Chapel contains the monument to Sir Richard Choke and his wife, who died in 1486. This comprises two recumbent figures with their heads supported by angels—Sir Richard depicted in the robes of the Lord Chief Justice. The tomb chest features three large quatrefoils with shields, and the back is decorated with angels holding the Choke arms. The top displays five hanging cusped ogee gables with angels bearing arms.

The north aisle contains several monuments: a classical marble tablet to Elizabeth Smyth, circa 1820, with a draped urn and branches; a Gothic monument to Peto Maze, 1849, by Tyley of Bristol, with a cusped ogee canopy; a painted board bearing the arms of Charles II; a Greek revival marble tablet to Hester Fenn, 1835, by Walker of Bristol; and a classical marble tablet to William Fenn, 1785, with an urn above.

The tower contains multiple monuments to members of the Smyth family. On the south side is a Baroque monument to Hugh (died 1690) and Elizabeth (died 1715), formerly signed by George Townsend of Bristol, with inscribed marble panels, fluted pilasters, and armorial bearings flanked by putti surmounted by a segmental pediment and urns; above this is a large classical tablet with an open pediment and arms. On the north side are two marble tablets to Jane (1818) and Thomas (1800) with arms and draped urns; a classical marble tablet to John (1802) with reeded pilasters and an urn; and a marble tablet to Hugh (1824) with drapery over a cross and chalice. Thomas Upton (1840) is commemorated by a Gothic monument.

The south aisle contains an ashlar tomb chest set in a recess at the west end with quatrefoils set into the sides, probably of late 15th or early 16th-century date. Additional monuments include a classical tablet to Mark Howell, 1810, by T. Clark of Bristol, with a draped urn; a marble tablet to Rebecca Stanton, 1822, by Lancaster and Walker, with an urn; two superimposed Greek marble tablets to the Ford family; and a marble tablet to James Sparrow, 1804, with arms.

The chancel contains three elaborate Gothic style monuments to the Smyth family, constructed in alabaster and marble: to Sir John (1849), Dame Emily (1914) and Sir John Henry (1901).