All Saints Church, Bolton facts for kids
Quick facts for kids All Saints Church, Bolton |
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All Saints Church, Bolton, from the southeast
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| OS grid reference | NY 639 234 |
| Location | Bolton, Cumbria |
| Country | England |
| Denomination | Anglican |
| Website | All Saints, Bolton |
| History | |
| Status | Parish church |
| Architecture | |
| Functional status | Active |
| Heritage designation | Grade I |
| Designated | 6 February 1968 |
| Architectural type | Church |
| Style | Norman, Gothic |
| Specifications | |
| Materials | Stone, slate roofs |
| Administration | |
| Parish | Bolton |
| Deanery | Appleby |
| Archdeaconry | Carlisle |
| Diocese | Carlisle |
| Province | York |
All Saints Church is a special old church located in the village of Bolton, which is in Cumbria, England. It's an active Anglican church, meaning it's still used for services today. It's part of a larger group of churches called the North Westmorland Benefice. This church is so important that it's officially recognized as a Grade I listed building in England. This means it's a very old and historically significant building!
Contents
History of All Saints Church
This church is really old! It was first built between the 1100s and 1200s. Over time, some parts of it were changed or added. In 1848, the church went through a big "restoration." This means it was repaired and updated to look its best, a common practice during the Victorian era.
Church Architecture
The church is built with strong stone and has roofs made of slate. It has a simple, long, and narrow shape.
Outside Features of the Church
The church's main parts are the nave (the main area where people sit) and the chancel (the area near the altar). There's also a porch on the south side. At the west end of the church, on the gable (the triangular part of the wall), there's a small tower called a bellcote. This bellcote has a unique saddleback roof, which looks like a regular house roof.
You can still see some very old "Norman" parts from the 1100s. These include the main doorways on the south and north sides. The north doorway is now blocked up. There are also narrow "slit windows" near the east end of the chancel walls.
Along the south wall of the nave, there are three round-headed windows from the 1700s. The south wall of the chancel has more windows: the original slit window, a square-headed window from the 1300s or 1400s, and two tall, narrow "lancet windows." One of these lancet windows was made shorter to fit a square-headed doorway from the 1600s. The window at the very east end has three sections.
The main south doorway, inside the porch, has a rounded top. It's decorated with carved capitals (the tops of columns) and a "hoodmould" (a decorative arch) with carved rosettes. Above the blocked north doorway, there are two carved stones from the 1100s. One shows two knights jousting, and the other has writing that is hard to read now. On the south wall, near the porch, there's a stone carving of a standing woman. This was probably once the lid of a coffin.
Inside Features of the Church
Inside, the chancel arch (the arch separating the nave from the chancel) is rounded and dates back to the 1600s. It has decorative patterns from the 1800s. Above this arch, you can see the Royal arms of Queen Victoria. This shows the church's connection to the British monarchy.
At the west end of the church, there's a gallery, which is like a balcony. On the church walls, you'll find "benefactors' boards." These boards list people who gave money or gifts to the church. Near the door, there's a "poor box" from 1623. This box was used to collect money for people in need. The font, where baptisms take place, has a round bowl on a square base. Its wooden cover is dated 1687.
The beautiful stained glass windows in the east end and one of the south chancel windows were made by a famous company called Clayton and Bell.
Churchyard Features
Outside the church, in the churchyard, there are a few interesting things. There's a "table tomb" (a tomb shaped like a table) for members of the Bowness family, with dates from the 1700s. This tomb is also a Grade II listed structure.
You'll also find a stone sundial in the churchyard. It's dated 1747 and sits on a stone base that is even older, from the medieval period. This sundial is also listed as Grade II, showing its historical importance.
See also
- Grade I listed churches in Cumbria
- Grade I listed buildings in Cumbria
- Listed buildings in Bolton, Cumbria
