All Saints' Church, Fawley facts for kids

Quick facts for kids All Saints' Church, Fawley
The Parish Church of All Saints', Fawley
All Saints' Church, Fawley Location in Hampshire
50°49′47″N 1°21′14″W / 50.8296986°N 1.3538568°W / 50.8296986; -1.3538568
Location	Fawley, Hampshire
Country	England
Denomination	Anglican
Website	Parish of Fawley (Hampshire)
History
Status	Parish church
Founded	12th century
Dedication	All Saints
Architecture
Functional status	Active
Heritage designation	Listed building – Grade I
Architectural type	Church
Style	Norman
Specifications
Materials	Stone with tiled roof
Administration
Parish	Fawley (Hampshire)
Deanery	Lyndhurst
Archdeaconry	Bournemouth
Diocese	Winchester
Province	Canterbury

All Saints' Church is a very old church located in Fawley, Hampshire, England. It serves as the main church for the local area. This church is one of three original medieval churches found along the "Waterside" area, which is west of Southampton Water.

History of All Saints' Church

The church building you see today was mostly built in the 12th century. Construction happened in two main stages. The first stage was between 1170 and 1210. The second stage took place later, from 1300 to 1340.

There are records of an even older church on this spot, dating all the way back to 971. It's possible that some parts from that very first church were used again when the current building was constructed. The oldest part of the church is called St Nicholas's Chapel. Some people think that the church was originally named after Saint Nicholas. In 1840, a porch was added to the west entrance of the church.

Bombing During World War 2

Fawley church showing bomb damage in the winter of 1950

During World War 2, in 1940, All Saints' Church was hit by a bomb. This caused a lot of damage to the building. Sadly, all of its beautiful medieval stained glass windows were destroyed.

It took many years to repair the church. It wasn't until 1954 that the church was fully fixed and opened again for services. Inside the church, there is a special plaque. It remembers the rector, Reverend John Mearing, who helped lead the efforts to restore the church after the bombing. The plaque says he inspired the restoration and the church was re-dedicated on September 12, 1954.

In the west window of St Nicholas's chapel, you can see a unique collage. It was made using pieces of the stained glass that were recovered after the bombing.

Famous People Remembered

Flight Lieutenant Samuel Kinkead

One of the memorials in the church is for Samuel Kinkead. He was a brave pilot from South Africa. Kinkead was known as a "fighter ace" during the First World War. This means he shot down many enemy planes. He was also a pilot in the famous Schneider Trophy race. Sadly, he died in 1928 while trying to set a new world record for airspeed.

Church Bells

All Saints' Church has a set of six bells. The oldest bells date back to 1603. In 1909, the four older bells were rehung, which means they were taken down and put back up properly. At the same time, two new, smaller bells were added to the set.

The weights of all the bells were measured in August 2007. This was done by Robert Parker, a bellhanger, when the bells were rehung.