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 special church in Fawley, England. It is the main church for the local area. It is one of three old churches found west of Southampton Water, an area known as the Waterside.

A Look Back: The Church's History

The church building you see today was built a long time ago. It dates back to the 1100s. It seems to have been built in two main stages. The first stage was between 1170 and 1210. The second stage happened later, from 1300 to 1340.

There are records of an even older church from the year 971. This earlier church was probably on the same spot. Some parts of that very old building might even have been used in the current church.

The oldest part of All Saints' Church is called St Nicholas's Chapel. Some people think the church was originally named after St Nicholas. A porch was added to the west entrance in 1840.

Church Damage During World War 2

Fawley church showing bomb damage in the winter of 1950

During World War II, in 1940, the church was hit by a bomb. It was badly damaged. All of its beautiful old stained glass windows were destroyed.

It took many years to fix the church. It was not fully repaired and ready to be used again until 1954.

Inside the church, there is a special plaque. It remembers the rector (the main priest) who helped get the church fixed. The plaque says:

In memory of The Revd. John Mearing rector 1947-1960 by whose inspiration this church was restored and re-dedicated 12. September 1954 after severe damage by enemy action 23. November 1940

In the west window of St Nicholas's Chapel, you can see a special artwork. It is a collage made from pieces of the old stained glass that were found after the bombing.

Important People Remembered

Flight Lieutenant Samuel Kinkead

One person remembered at the church is Samuel Kinkead. He was a brave pilot from South Africa. He was known as a "fighter ace" in World War I. This means he shot down many enemy planes.

Later, he was a pilot in the Schneider Trophy race. This was a famous competition for seaplanes. Samuel Kinkead sadly died in 1928 while trying to set a new airspeed record.

The Church Bells

All Saints' Church has six bells that ring out for services and special events. The oldest bells date back to 1603.

In 1909, the four older bells were rehung. Two new, smaller bells were added to the collection. This made a total of six bells.

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