Church Of All Saints

The Church of All Saints is a parish church largely dating from the early 16th century, although it incorporates a late 13th to early 14th century west tower and spire. The church was extensively restored by J.D. Sedding and completed in 1889. It is constructed of coursed slate rubble with granite dressings, including a moulded granite plinth, and has slate roofs.

The building consists of a nave and chancel, unified under a large five-light east window with Perpendicular panel tracery. Buttresses are set back from the corners at the east end. There are long north and south aisles; the north aisle features a Perpendicular intersecting traceried window and an east window with Perpendicular panel tracery. The south aisle has restored Perpendicular windows and a four-centred arch south doorway with carved spandrels. North and south transepts are also in the Perpendicular style. A late 19th-century porch provides access via a reset four-centred arch doorway and a wrought iron gate.

A tall, plain 13th/14th-century west tower rises in three stages, with slightly set-back buttresses displaying set-offs. It has a corbelled embattled parapet and a tall, octagonal recessed stone spire. Cusped lancet bell-openings with hood moulds are positioned three on the east and west sides, and one on the north and south sides. A stair turret projects externally on the north side, extending only to the belfry. The west doorway is a chamfered two-centred arch with a hood mould, and a restored Perpendicular window is situated above.

Inside, the church presents a spacious interior with broad nave and five-bay north and south arcades. These arcades feature wide, moulded four-centred arches supported by granite monolithic piers with alternating shafts and hollows, moulded capitals, and bases. Carved leaf capitals adorn the aisle chapel arcades, and similar arches define the transepts. A tall two-centred arch marks the tower opening, featuring imposts. Squints are provided from the aisles and transepts. The roof is a late 19th-century, unceiled wagon roof by Sedding, incorporating carved bosses, some reused, and angels in the chancel. Fine early to mid-16th-century screens have been restored by Sedding. Sedding’s furnishings include screens, choir stalls, benches, sedilia, wainscot, a lectern, and the south door. Other furnishings include a late 19th-century carved stone pulpit, a marble font, and a Norman font with a flat square bowl.

Monuments include: in the north chapel, a Hele family monument dating from around 1625, featuring 22 kneeling figures across four tiers and a central reclining effigy of Sir Thomas Hele in armor; a small 17th-century pedimented wall monument is located to the left; a 1698 wall monument stands in the south aisle; Peter Perring's memorial is in the south transept (1796); Elizabeth Bulteel (1835) features a female figure standing over a sarcophagus in the chancel; and a Coade and Sealy monument for James Bulteel and family (1801) displays large putti and an urn.