All Saints' Church, Stour Row facts for kids

Quick facts for kids All Saints' Church
Religion
Affiliation	Church of England
Ecclesiastical or organizational status	Active
Year consecrated	1878
Location
Location	Stour Row, Dorset, England
Architecture
Architect(s)	John Hicks
Architectural type	Church
Architectural style	Early English
Completed	1867

All Saints' Church is an old Church of England church located in a village called Stour Row in Dorset, England. It's a special building, listed as a Grade II building, which means it's important and protected. A man named John Hicks designed it, and it was built in 1867. The church was part of a group of churches called the Stour Vale Benefice. It closed its doors in 2015.

History of All Saints' Church

All Saints' Church was built as a "chapel of ease." This means it was a smaller church built to help people who lived far from their main parish church. The main church was St Michael and All Angels in Stour Provost.

The idea for this new church came from Rev. Richard Arthur Francis Barrett. He was the rector (head priest) of Stour Provost. Many people in the area lived far from the main church. Some lived up to three miles away. Also, the main church could only fit about 300 people.

John Hicks from Dorchester drew the plans for the new church. It was designed to hold 146 people. All the seats were free, so anyone could sit anywhere. Rev. Barrett and King's College gave the land for the church.

Building the church cost about £1,200. Most of this money was raised by donations from many people. Some big donors included the Marchioness of Westminster and King's College. By April 1867, £680 had been raised. The Salisbury Diocesan Church Building Association also gave £120.

Building the Church

The first stone of the church was laid on June 20, 1867. Miss Thomas, Rev. Barrett's niece, laid the stone. About 200 people attended a special service that day. Mr. Miles of Shaftesbury built the church.

The church opened for services in 1867. On September 26, a celebration was held when the roof was finished. About 300 local people enjoyed an outdoor tea party. There were also sports events and music by the Sturminster Newton band.

The church was used for services, but it wasn't officially "consecrated" right away. Consecration means it's formally dedicated for holy use. This was delayed because part of the church land was being used as a garden. Once that land became part of the burial ground, the consecration could happen.

The church and its burial ground were officially consecrated on June 29, 1878. The Bishop of Salisbury, Right Rev. George Moberly, led the ceremony.

Closure and Sale in 2015

All Saints' Church closed in 2015 because fewer people were attending services. The last service was held on October 18. The church officially closed on November 1, and its parish joined with Stour Provost.

After closing, the church was put up for sale. In October 2018, the Church Commissioners planned to sell the church. They wanted it to be changed into homes. This plan was approved in March 2019.

A buyer was found, and in December 2019, plans were approved to turn the church into a three-bedroom house. They also planned to add a small extension and a parking space. In March 2020, a revised plan for two parking spaces was approved.

The sale plan was finalized in January 2020. However, the buyer then pulled out in February. So, the church was put back on the market. Most of the churchyard is included in the sale, except for the part with more recent burials.

Church Architecture

All Saints' Church is built from Marnhull stone. It has special Bath stone decorations and clay tile roofs. The church has a main area called a nave with four sections. It also has a chancel (the area near the altar) with two sections. There's a vestry (a room for clergy) on the north side and a porch at the west entrance.

On the west end of the roof, there is a small tower called a bell-cot for a single bell. The nave's roof has curved beams. The chancel roof also has arched beams. When the church closed, it still had many of its original features from the 1800s. These included the stone font (for baptisms), the wooden pulpit (where sermons are given), and the seating.

Church Windows

In 1867, the church's windows were simple, single-light windows with plain glass. The east window has three lights (sections). The west window, added in 1882, has two lights.

In 1882, a beautiful stained glass window was added to the east side. It was made by Alexander Gibbs. This window was a memorial to Rev. Barrett, who had died in 1881. It shows the crucifixion of Jesus, with figures of St Mary and St John. Later that year, the west window was added by a farmer named James Stone. It was in memory of his son Stephen.

In 1907, two more stained glass windows were added. They were made by Clayton and Bell of London. Thomas William Lush from Gillingham added them to remember his wife. One window shows "Our Lord and Martha," and the other shows "St. Mary anointing our Lord's feet." In 1908, Mr. Lush added a third stained glass window. This one was also made by Clayton and Bell and shows St. Thomas. It was in memory of his parents.

Churchyard

The wall around the churchyard was rebuilt around 1928. In the 1990s, the churchyard was made larger with more land to the south. In 1993, a special area for wildlife was created within the grounds. The Dorset Wildlife Trust regularly checks on the wildlife there.