All Saints' Church, Northampton facts for kids
Quick facts for kids All Saints' Church |
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All Saints' Church, Northampton
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| Country | United Kingdom |
| Denomination | Church of England |
| Churchmanship | Anglo-Catholic |
| Website | www.allsaintsnorthampton.co.uk |
| History | |
| Dedication | All Saints |
| Administration | |
| Diocese | Peterborough |
| Province | Canterbury |
All Saints' Church is a historic Church of England church right in the middle of Northampton. Most of the church you see today was built after a big fire. It was officially opened in 1680 and is considered a very important old building, known as a Grade I listed building.
Contents
Church History: From Fire to Rebuilding
The original church, called All Hallows, stood for many years. It was a medieval building that changed over time. But on September 20, 1675, a terrible event happened. The Great Fire of Northampton swept through the old town.
The fire started on St Mary's Street. People tried to escape to the Market Square. But the fire spread quickly, forcing everyone to leave. All Hallows Church was caught in the flames and burned down.
The bells of All Hallows rang one last time. They made a sad sound as the fire took over. The wind carried the fire far across the town. Almost every house was destroyed, except for one.
Building the New All Saints' Church
After the fire, King Charles II helped the town. He gave a thousand tons of wood to rebuild All Hallows' Church. Also, one-tenth of all money collected for the town's rebuilding went to the church.
The rebuilding was managed by Henry Bell, an architect from King's Lynn. He lived in Northampton at the time. Bell designed the new church to look similar to the famous designs of Sir Christopher Wren. Wren was known for rebuilding churches in London after their own great fire.
The old medieval tower and the crypt (an underground room) survived the fire. The new All Saints' Church was built around the tower. It has an almost square shape. There is a chancel (the area around the altar) to the east. North and south entrances, called narthexes, are on either side of the tower.
When you enter the church through the tower, you walk into a barrel vaulted nave. In the middle, there is a dome supported by four large columns. Light comes in from a lantern above the dome. The church is bright with plain glass windows. The ceiling is decorated with beautiful plasterwork.
All Saints' Church Today
All Saints' Church follows the Catholic tradition within the Church of England. This means it has some practices similar to the Roman Catholic Church.
The church is open to visitors most days. You can visit from 9:00 AM to 5:00 PM all year. On days with special choir services, it stays open longer.
Church Architecture: A Grand Design
All Saints' Church was built in a style like Christopher Wren's churches in London. These churches were rebuilt after the Great Fire of London. Because of this, some people used to think Wren designed All Saints', but it was Henry Bell.
Wren's church, St Mary-at-Hill, is similar in size and shape to All Saints'. It also has a square main space with a dome. Bell likely got his ideas from this church. However, the barrel vaults in All Saints' are flatter. Its dome is more rounded, and the columns are different.
A statue of King Charles II stands above the main entrance. It was put there in 1712 to remember his help after the fire. The statue shows him dressed like a Roman.
Every year on Oak Apple Day, a special ceremony takes place. At noon, the choir sings a Latin song to King Charles II from the roof. The Mayor of Northampton places oak leaves on the statue. A similar event happens on Ascension Day.
The church building was repaired in the 1970s. More recently, in 2006, a new organ was installed. In 2008, the entrance areas and restrooms were updated. There is even a coffee shop, All Saints' Bistro, in the north and south areas. Part of the coffee shop is named the John Clare Lounge, after the poet John Clare who used to write poems outside.
Music at All Saints'
The Church Choirs
The choir of All Saints' Church has a very long history. It was first formed in the 1100s for the old All Hallows' Church. Today, there are three main groups that make up the choirs.
These groups are the Boys Choir, the Girls Choir, and the Choral Scholars and Lay Clerks. The boys are usually aged 7 to 15, and the girls are 8 to 18. The older singers, called Choral Scholars and Lay Clerks, sing the lower parts. Some of the Choral Scholars used to sing in the boys' choir.
These choirs sing at five services each week. This includes the main Sunday Mass and Evensong throughout the week.
Church Instruments
All Saints' Church has six musical instruments. These include three large pipe organs and three pianos.
The West Organ
This is the church's largest organ. It was built in 1982/83. Some parts of it are much older, including pipes from the 1800s and the front case from the 1730s. It has 40 stops and can be played using three keyboards and foot pedals.
The Chancel Organ
This organ was originally built in 1939 for another church. It was moved to All Saints' in 2004 and installed in 2006. It has 33 stops and can also be played using three keyboards and foot pedals.
The Memorial Chapel Organ
This smaller organ was built in 1983. It has two sets of pipes, which can be combined in different ways using 10 stops.
See also
- List of churches in Northampton
