Church Of All Saints

The Church of All Saints is a building with a history spanning several centuries, incorporating elements from the 11th century to the 19th. It is located off Church Street in Hovingham. The church’s west tower originates from the 11th century, while the nave and chancel were rebuilt in 1860 by Rhode Hawkins, who incorporated some medieval features. The tower roof dates to around 1970. The church is constructed from limestone with a Westmorland slate roof.

The west tower is a three-stage structure with square-section string courses. It features a round-arched west door with free-standing angle shafts and four orders, the innermost order recessed with roll-moulding. An Anglian cross, carved in high relief, is set into the wall above the doorway, below a single course of herringbone masonry. The tower's second stage has a double-splayed round-headed window to the south, and small, rectangular slit windows to the west and north. The third stage has tall, narrow, double belfry windows on each face. A wheel cross, from around the 10th century, is set into the wall above the south belfry window, along with a rebuilt corbel table and roof.

The south aisle has two-light windows. A Norman doorway of two orders has been reset into the south porch. There is a three-light window on the east wall. The north aisle features a central gabled three-light window flanked by two-light windows, and two-light windows to the vestry. The chancel has a reset round-arched doorway to the south, with two reset lancets to the left and a 19th-century two-light window to the right. The east end includes a three-light window to the chancel and a two-light window to the vestry.

Inside the church, a very fine Saxon carved stone has been repositioned as a reredos to the altar in the south aisle, featuring eight arched panels with figures, representing the Annunciation on the left side. A narrow vine-scroll frieze with birds and beasts sits below. The material suggests a possible 8th-century date, though this is disputed. A 10th-century carved cross with knotted strapwork is also repositioned in the chancel. Monuments include one to Thomas Worsley, who died in 1715, consisting of a sarcophagus with sloping sides on a base, surmounted by an urn. A simpler plaque is dedicated to Thomas Worsley, builder of Hovingham Hall, and his family, and was created by G Willoughby of Malton, and commemorates their deaths.