Church Of All Saints

Church of All Saints

This is a substantial parish church of the late 12th century, 13th century, and 17th to 19th century date. Built in limestone and lias ashlar with squared coursed lias stone and a lead roof, it comprises an aisled nave, chancel, south chapel, and west tower.

The chancel was rebuilt by William Smith of Warwick commencing in 1737, along with the outer walls of the nave and aisles. The south elevation shows a one-window range with a 2-light 18th-century window featuring thick Y-tracery, and a 3-light Venetian east window with Doric pilasters. The chancel has a shallow pitched roof with ashlar parapet.

A south vestry was added by J. Bodley in 1879, featuring 2-light east windows with reticulated tracery and a lean-to roof with decorated corbels.

The north chapel was added to the medieval church in 1672 by Henry Jones of Walgrave, probably to designs by J. Webb, for Sir Justinion Isham. Its east window has 2-lights with transom and a segmental pediment on corbels. A blocked north door has a rusticated head, and the chapel displays rusticated quoins and a lean-to roof with ashlar parapet.

The south aisle is a 2-window range with 3-light 18th-century windows featuring thick Y-tracery, and a similar 2-light west window. It has a lean-to roof with ashlar parapets. The south porch, 18th century and by Smith, has a plain arch opening with rusticated surround and pediment, with small roundels in the flanking side walls. The outer doors are 19th century with close lattice pattern; the inner doors are 6-panelled.

The north aisle is similar to the south, comprising a 3-window range of 18th-century windows with a shallow pitched roof with ashlar cornice and finial.

The west tower dates to the late 12th century and has 2 stages with 13th-century clasping buttresses to the lower stage. A blocked west door is visible. The second stage has 2-light 13th-century bell chamber openings with quatrefoil above on each face, and a castellated parapet. The roof is a shallow pyramid with weather vane.

Interior features include a 3-bay arcade to the north chapel with semi-circular arches on square piers with moulded cornices. Plasterwork by John Woolston of Northampton includes cartouches between arches and a fine Rococo ceiling with central pendant and dentilled cornice. The reredos below the east window has 3 panels divided by plasterwork swags and cherubs with reflecting pilasters between the windows. Double chamfered chancel and tower arches are visible.

The nave has a 3-bay arcade of double chamfered 13th-century pointed arches with octagonal piers. A flat ceiling with plasterwork by John Woolston features 3 roundels, the centre with an eye of God flanked by doves. Royal arms of George II in plaster relief appear above the chancel arch. The pulpit has 18th-century fielded panelling, and a communion rail with turned balusters dates to probably the mid 18th century. The font, with a tall wooden cover by Bodley of circa 1869, is also present.

Monuments include an inscribed tablet to Mrs Jane Isham, died 1638, with 3 putti and 3 wreaths at the top by Thomas Stanton, and a tablet above for John Isham (infant), died 1638. On the north wall of the north chapel is a monument to Sir Justian Isham, died 1700, by William Stanton, with twisted columns and segmental pediment. A tablet to Elizabeth Isham, died 1713, by Edward Stanton, features fluted pilasters with putti flanking a coat of arms. On the west wall is a tablet in variegated marbles to Sir Justinion Isham, died 1730, by Francis Smith, with fluted pilasters and broken pediment. A bust monument to Sir Justinian, died 1737, by Schemakers, sits on a large plinth with volutes and a large arcaded surround with heraldic devices. A monument to Mrs Raynsford, died 1763, by W. Cox, originally from Faxton church, is on the east wall. On the east wall of the north aisle is a monument to John Isham, died 1811, by Henry Westmancott. Various 19th and 20th-century tablets to the Isham family include one to Sir Gyles Isham, died 1976.