Church Of All Saints

Church of All Saints

A church of collegiate status originally dating from the 12th and 13th centuries, possibly incorporating some Saxon masonry. The building was substantially rebuilt in the 19th century: the tower and transepts were reconstructed 1841–52 by William Flockton of Sheffield, who replicated the medieval design; the nave arcades were replaced in 1852 by Weightman and Hadfield of Sheffield; and the chancel was restored 1879–82 by Gilbert Scott the younger. A north vestry was added in 1897; most roofs date to the 20th century. The church is constructed of ashlar sandstone with lead roofs and follows a cruciform plan with a south porch to a 4-bay aisled nave, a 3-bay south transept with a chapel in the east aisle, a 3-bay chancel, and a one-bay north transept adjoined by a low north vestry. The building is embattled throughout.

The exterior displays considerable medieval detail. The nave features offset buttresses flanking a 12th-century west door with two orders of colonnettes, beakhead ornament and saltire crosses; above this is fragmentary blind arcading with chevron moulding. A 15th-century 3-light west window with 19th-century Geometrical tracery is fitted beneath a hoodmould. The 15th-century south porch has diagonal buttresses and a double-chamfered arch with hoodmould beneath a niche; an 18th-century oval sundial is positioned to its right. The inner door is an unrestored 13th-century example with dogtooth ornament; a restored 13th-century north door also survives. A Perpendicular clerestory is lit by square-headed 2- and 3-light windows; the south parapet displays the arms of Vernon and Pype, while the north parapet bears the insignia of Thomas Haywood.

The south transept (known as the Newark) has a moulded plinth, angle buttresses with offsets, and gablets with fleur-de-lys ornament. Two south doors feature clustered colonnettes beneath cusped roundels and embellished pointed arches. A 4-light window above has Geometrical tracery with outer shafts rising from carved heads; the hoodmould returns as a string course, and octagonal corner pinnacles ornament the angles. The west side displays pilaster buttresses and lancets with hoodmoulds; a carved string course sits beneath three trefoils. A lean-to east chapel has more elaborate buttresses and Decorated tracery to 3-light windows with hoodmoulds.

The north transept features a Perpendicular 3-light window to the east and a 3-light window to the north with Geometrical tracery; a gable cross tops the gable. The vestry has diagonal buttresses and a central north buttress, with square-headed windows of two and three lights having cusped ogee heads.

The tower rises as an octagonal belfry with a string course beneath louvred 2-light openings; a moulded oversailing course with gargoyles sits beneath an embattled parapet, above which rises an octagonal spire with a weather-vane.

The chancel has buttresses between bays and to the angles and centre of the east end. A south-west window is obscured by the east chapel of the south transept. A priest's door features a 2-centred arch with colonnettes and a hoodmould. A string course with gargoyles runs across the elevation; a cross tops the east parapet. Restored 13th-century Y-tracery windows light the chancel and nave aisles.

The interior contains 12th-century round arches in the short west bay of the nave and similar blind arches in the west walls of the aisles; some walling above the arches may be Saxon. The remaining aisle arcades, dating from 1852, have round piers, octagonal capitals and cavetto-moulded arches.

The crossing was restored 1841–43 with tall arches having filleted shafts and colonnettes, and features a ribbed vault. The south transept (known as the Newark), dating circa 1220–1240 and rebuilt 1841–52, contains an arcade to Vernon Chapel with quatrefoiled piers having shafts in the diagonals and deeply moulded arches.

The chancel preserves late 13th-century sedilia and a double piscina under linked hoodmoulds. Windows have nook shafts and rere arches. A mosaic floor dates from circa 1880. A 14th-century octagonal font with cusped arches over whole figures stands in the church. Near the font are parts of three medieval misericords; Royal Arms of Charles II dated 1678 and an early 19th-century board listing church fees also survive.

The church contains numerous fittings of note. These include a stone pulpit, a brass eagle lectern, and an altar and reredos in the north transept by Sir Ninian Comper. Chancel woodwork of 1879–82 incorporates some medieval fragments. Canopied choir stalls with misericords and carved panels in niches adjoin the screen. An altarpiece with Crucifixion, a woodcarving by Kuchemann of Battersea dated 1882, is displayed. A screen to Vernon Chapel dates to the 14th century with modifications of the 17th century. An organ by Brindley and Foster of Sheffield from 1883 was resited and enlarged in 1954, then rebuilt in 1989. A Newark screen dates to 1983. In the north aisle is a 15th-century oak parish chest and a Church Warden's Safe of 1814.

The church contains several important monuments. Of particular note is a small alabaster wall monument to Sir Godfrey Foljambe and his wife dating from circa 1377, located at the east end of the south aisle. In Vernon Chapel is a monument to Sir Thomas Wendesley (d. 1403) depicting him lying in armour on a later base, and a small alabaster tomb-chest to John Vernon (d. 1477). A polychromatic tomb-chest commemorates Sir George Vernon (d. 1567) with his two wives. A standing wall monument depicts John Manners (d. 1584) and his wife Dorothy Vernon kneeling and facing across a prayer desk, with their children below. A larger and more impressive standing monument commemorates Sir George Manners (d. 1623) and his wife Grace Pierrepoint (d. 1650) with their children in prayer and a baby in swaddling clothes. Various plaques on the west wall of the south transept include several 17th-century brasses, the most elaborate being that to William Savile (d. 1658), 'Steward to the Earle of Rutland'. Various wall monuments occupy the chancel.

The stained glass includes a north aisle window of 1893 by Henry Holiday and another by Kempe. The chancel east window dates from 1892. A north transept window from 1881 was designed by Hardman. A Resurrection window in Vernon Chapel, also by Hardman, dates to 1859. The south porch contains a remarkable and very important collection of Anglo-Saxon, Norman and early medieval fragments discovered during the major works of the mid-19th century; other fragments stand against the west wall of the north aisle.