All Saints, Chingford facts for kids
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The Church of All Saints, Chingford is an old and important church in Chingford, London. People also call it Chingford Old Church. It's a special building, listed as Grade II*, meaning it's very historic. Some parts of the church are from the 1100s and 1200s.
Today, it's part of the parish of St Peter and St Paul, Chingford. That church took over as the main local church in 1844. All Saints Church sits on top of Chingford Mount. From there, you can see great views of the Lea Valley reservoirs.
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History of All Saints Church
The church was first mentioned in records in 1181. At that time, the right to choose the local priest, called the advowson, was given to the local lord. For a while, from 1207 to 1308, the Knights Templars held this right.
The north wall of the main part of the church, called the nave, is probably from the 1100s. The south side aisle and its arches, known as an arcade, were built in the late 1200s. Around 1400, a bell tower was added.
Building Changes Over Time
In 1460, a will mentioned building a new chancel, which is the area around the altar. Another will in 1467 helped pay for repairs to the aisle. A porch was built at the church's entrance in the early 1500s. By 1547, the church leaders had to sell a chalice (a special cup) and a cross. They needed money to fix the roof and make other repairs.
Rectors and Old Customs
In 1644, the church's leader, called the rector, John Russell, was removed. He was accused of "cursing, swearing, and gaming." But he got his job back in 1660 and stayed until he died 28 years later.
In 1768, a historian named Philip Morant wrote about a strange custom. An estate nearby, called Scotts Mayhews or Brindwoods, was linked to the church. The owner had to pay £24 a year to the rector. When a new owner took over, a special ceremony happened:
The owner of the estate, with his wife, manservant and maidservant, each single on a horse, come to the Parsonage; where the Owner does his homage and pays his relief, in manner following. He blows three blasts on his horn: carries a hawk on his fist: his servant has a greyhound in a slip; both for the use of the Rector that day. He receives a chicken for his hawk, a peck of oats for his horse, a loaf of bread for his greyhound. They all dine, after which the master blows three blasts on his horn and they all depart.
The "Green Church"
In 1397, the church was officially named after All Saints. But by 1710, its name had changed to Saint Peter and Saint Paul.
In 1844, a new church was built for the growing area at Chingford Green. The name "St Peter and St Paul" was given to this new building. The old church then went back to being called All Saints. When the new church opened, the font, bells, and other items were moved there. All Saints was then only used for special services.
Even though the building was kept in good shape, by the 1800s, it was covered in ivy. This made it known as the "green church." Its pretty look made it popular with artists. One famous painting is Home from Sea by Arthur Hughes. He painted it in 1856 in the churchyard. This painting is now in the Ashmolean Museum in Oxford.
Restoration and Today
In 1904, the roof of the nave and south aisle fell down. In 1905, only the chancel was repaired, and most of the ivy was removed. Because more people were moving to the area, there was a need for a smaller church, called a chapel of ease.
In 1930, the church was fully restored. Many of the old materials were reused. A generous donation of £6,000 from Miss Louisa Heathcote helped a lot. The architect for this work was C. C. Winmill.
The three bells, from 1626, 1657, and 1835, were brought back to the church. Many old monuments that had been moved in 1844 also returned. The oldest of these is a stone slab with marks from brasses for Robert Rampston (who died in 1585) and his wife Margaret (who died in 1590).
Today, the church holds regular services. Its hall is also used by many different groups and societies.
