All Saints' Church, Thorney Hill facts for kids

Quick facts for kids All Saints' Church
All Saints' Church
Religion
Affiliation	Church of England
Ecclesiastical or organizational status	Active
Year consecrated	1906
Location
Location	Thorney Hill, Hampshire, England
Architecture
Architect(s)	Detmar Blow
Architectural type	Church
Architectural style	Baroque
Listed Building – Grade I
Official name	Church of All Saints
Designated	24 September 1985
Reference no.	1302198

All Saints' Church is a beautiful Church of England church located in Thorney Hill, Hampshire, England. It was built a long time ago, between 1905 and 1906. This church is considered a very important historical building, known as a Grade I listed building, since 1985. There's also a special memorial in the churchyard for World War I soldiers, which is also a listed building (Grade II).

History of All Saints' Church

All Saints' Church was built as a special way to remember someone. A wealthy couple, Lord and Lady Manners, paid for its construction. They wanted it to be a memorial for their daughter, Mary Christine. She sadly passed away in 1904 from cholera while visiting India.

The church was built near their home, the Avon Tyrrell estate. A famous architect named Detmar Blow designed the building. Lady Manners herself laid the first stone on October 9, 1905. A company from Hitchin, Hertfordshire, called Messrs Newton, built the church.

The church was officially opened, or "dedicated," on October 17, 1906. The Bishop of Winchester, Herbert Edward Ryle, led the special ceremony. After that, All Saints' Church began serving the people of Thorney Hill, Bransgore, and nearby areas. In 2006, a hundred years after it opened, another special service was held. The Bishop of Winchester, Michael Scott-Joynt, led this event to celebrate the church's 100th birthday.

Architecture and Design

Historic England describes All Saints' as a "remarkable Edwardian Baroque church." This means it has a grand and decorative style from the early 1900s. The church is built using Caen stone, which is a light-colored limestone, and also brick that has been covered with a smooth finish.

The roof is made of aluminum and has a small, round tower called a cupola on the western side. The church was designed to hold about 100 people. Inside, there are many interesting features. You can see a bronze statue, called an effigy, of the Manners' son, John. He was killed in battle in 1914.

There is also a large painting, or mural, created in 1922 by Phoebe Anna Traquair. This mural remembers Lady Manners, who passed away in 1920. You can also find artwork by the famous artist Eric Gill inside the church.