All Saints' Church, West Haddon facts for kids
Quick facts for kids All Saints' Church, West Haddon |
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| 52°20′28″N 1°04′35″W / 52.3410°N 1.0764°W | |
| Denomination | Church of England |
| Website | http://www.stlawrences.org.uk/west-haddon/ |
| Administration | |
| Deanery | Brixworth |
| Archdeaconry | Northampton |
| Diocese | Diocese of Peterborough |
| Province | Canterbury |
All Saints' Church is an Anglican church and the parish church of West Haddon, Northamptonshire. It is a Grade I listed building, which means it's a very important historic building. You can find it on the north side of the High Street.
Contents
A Look at All Saints' Church
The main parts of this church were built a very long time ago. Construction started between the 12th and 14th centuries. More work was done in the 17th and 19th centuries.
When people looked at the Domesday Book, a famous survey from 1086, there was no mention of a church or priest in West Haddon. This means the church was likely built after that time.
The church today has several main sections. These include the nave (the main part where people sit), north and south aisles (sections on the sides of the nave), the chancel (the area near the altar), and a west tower.
Interesting Tombs and Memorials
In the churchyard, you can find three special stone tombs called chest tombs. They are made of a type of stone called lias ashlar. These tombs are also listed buildings, meaning they are historically important.
- One tomb is from the early 18th century. It has fancy carvings called bolection moulding and pillars at its corners. It's about 6 meters south of the church's south aisle.
- Another tomb is from the late 17th century. It has carved sides and a large, flat stone on top. This one is about 9 meters south of the chancel.
- The third tomb is also from the early 18th century. It has plain pillars and some writing that is hard to read. It's very close to the church, about 2 meters south of the chancel.
The Story of Grigory Palmer's Tomb
The last tomb on the list might actually be older than people first thought. The writing on it, which you can still read a little, matches what was written down in the early 18th century by a person named John Bridges.
This tomb belongs to a man named Grigory Palmer. He was a minister in West Haddon for 52 years! He was born in West Haddon and also passed away there on June 11, 1693, when he was 85 years old.
Here's what his tombstone says:
- "Here lyeth honest Griggory,
- Which was a true friend to the Ministry;
- And the soul’s true friend for eternity,
- And one of the best fathers to his ability;
- Hee studdied the true form of Christianity,
- The which he hoped would abound to posterity.
- Grigory Palmer Minister of West-Haddon 52
- years and odd months: it being the place of his
- Nativity; in which parish he first received his
- breath, and also ended his last the 11 day of June
- 1693. Hee being 85 years, 5 months, and odd
- days old."
Church Records
The church keeps important records called parish registers. These books record things like births, marriages, and deaths. The registers for All Saints' Church go all the way back to 1653! The older, historic registers are now kept safely at the Northamptonshire Record Office.
Working Together: The Benefice
All Saints' Church in West Haddon is part of something called a "united Benefice." This means it works together with other nearby churches. The other churches in this group are in Long Buckby, Watford, and Winwick. Even though they work together, each parish still has its own church building.
