All Saints Church, Aldwincle facts for kids

Quick facts for kids All Saints Church, Aldwincle
All Saints Church, Aldwincle, from the west
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OS grid reference	TL 011 815
Location	Aldwincle, Northamptonshire
Country	England
Denomination	Anglican
Website	Churches Conservation Trust
Architecture
Heritage designation	Grade I
Designated	25 May 1967
Architectural type	Church
Style	Gothic
Groundbreaking	13th century
Completed	15th century
Specifications
Materials	Limestone, Roofs in lead and Collyweston stone slate

All Saints Church is a very old and special church in Aldwincle, England. It's an Anglican church, which is part of the Church of England. This church is so important that it's listed as a Grade I building. This means it's one of the most historic buildings in the country! Today, a group called The Churches Conservation Trust looks after it.

A Look Back in Time: All Saints Church History

This church started being built a long, long time ago, in the 1200s. Over the next few centuries, more parts were added. In the 1300s, they built the north aisle (a side part), the vestry (a room for clergy), and the clerestory (the upper part of the nave with windows).

What Happened in the 1400s?

In the 1400s, the church got its tower, a porch, and a special chapel. This chapel was built around 1488-1489 by the Chambre family. It was a chantry chapel, a place where prayers were said for the souls of the dead.

Restoration and Changes Over Time

Later, in 1863, the chancel (the area around the altar) was repaired and updated. This was part of a big movement called the Victorian restoration. The rest of the church was restored in 1893.

By this time, All Saints Church had joined with another local church, St Peter's. All Saints Church was not used as much anymore. In 1976, it was officially declared "redundant," meaning it was no longer needed for regular church services. Since then, it has become like a museum for architecture.

Famous People Connected to the Church

Did you know that a famous poet, John Dryden, was born nearby in 1631? He was baptised right here in All Saints Church! Another poet, Mary Rolls, also lived at the rectory (the church's house) from 1820 until she passed away in 1835. She was married to the rector of All Saints.

Exploring the Church's Design: Architecture

All Saints Church is built from limestone, a type of stone. Its roofs are covered with lead and a special kind of stone tile called Collyweston stone slate.

Outside the Church: What Can You See?

The church has a main area called the nave, with a clerestory above it. On the sides, there are north and south aisles. There's a porch on the south side, and a chancel at the east end. Next to the chancel, there's a chapel to the south and a vestry to the north. At the west end, you'll see the tall tower.

The West Tower: A Closer Look

The tower has four main sections, called stages. These stages are separated by decorative stone bands called string courses, which have different carvings on them. At the bottom of the tower, there's a doorway. Above that, in the second and third stages, is a large window with three sections. Higher up, in the third stage, there's a small niche (a shallow alcove).

The very top stage is the biggest. It's mostly filled with openings for the bells on each side. These openings are square-shaped and have two parts. Above them, there's a decorative band with quatrefoil shapes (like a four-leaf clover). The top of the tower has a battlemented parapet (a wall with gaps, like a castle). At each corner, there's a tall, pointed decoration called a crocketted pinnacle.

Windows and Doors on the Sides

Each side of the aisles has a doorway and windows with three sections. The clerestory (the upper part of the nave) has two square-headed windows with two sections on each side. There are also two-section windows on the east and west sides of the north aisle, and at the west end of the south aisle.

The main east window of the church has four sections. The chancel has two-section windows on its north and south walls. The chapel has a four-section window at its east end and two three-section windows on its south wall. All these windows have beautiful stone patterns called Perpendicular tracery. There's also a doorway on the south wall of the chapel.

Inside the Church: What's Inside?

Inside, the main arches that separate the nave from the aisles are supported by round pillars. In the south wall of the chancel, there's a piscina (a stone basin used for washing sacred vessels). There are also shelves for statues on each side of the east window.

Special Features and Art

At the southeast corner of the north aisle, you'll find another piscina from the 1300s, though it's a bit damaged. There's a third piscina in the chapel. The font, where people are baptised, is octagonal (eight-sided) and dates back to the 1200s. The communion rail, which separates the altar area, is in a style from the Jacobean period.

In the nave, you can still see parts of an old wall painting that shows Saint Christopher. Above the arch leading to the chancel, there's a royal funerary hatchment (a painted coat of arms) and the Ten Commandments. In the chancel itself, there's another hatchment for the Spinacre family.

Memorials and Stained Glass

On the floor of the chancel, there's a brass plaque remembering William Aldwyncle, who passed away in 1463. On the north wall of the north aisle, there's another brass plaque for John Pykering, a doctor who died in 1659. It even has an inscription he wrote himself! Some of the church windows still have beautiful medieval stained glass. The church also has old silver items, like a cup and paten (a small plate) from around 1570, and two more patens from 1861.

Outside the Church: Churchyard Features

In the churchyard, there are two other important items that are also listed as historic buildings (Grade II). These include a headstone from 1696 and a chest tomb from the 1600s. At the entrance to the churchyard, there's a lychgate (a covered gateway). It was built to remember Fanny Satterfield Hodgson, who died in 1917.

See also

• Grade I listed buildings in Northamptonshire
• List of churches preserved by the Churches Conservation Trust in the English Midlands
• Thomas Haweis, Rector (1764–1820)