All Saints Church, Boltongate facts for kids
Quick facts for kids All Saints' Church, Boltongate |
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All Saints' Church from the south
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| OS grid reference | NY 229 407 |
| Location | Boltongate, Cumbria |
| Country | England |
| Denomination | Anglican |
| Weekly attendance | All Saints, Boltongate |
| History | |
| Status | Parish church |
| Architecture | |
| Functional status | Active |
| Heritage designation | Grade I |
| Designated | 11 April 1967 |
| Architectural type | Church |
| Specifications | |
| Materials | Limestone; nave roof of sandstone slates, chancel roof of green slate |
| Administration | |
| Parish | All Saints, Bolton |
| Deanery | Derwent |
| Archdeaconry | West Cumberland |
| Diocese | Carlisle |
| Province | York |
All Saints' Church is a very old and special church in the village of Boltongate, Cumbria, England. It is still an active Anglican parish church today. This church is unique because it was built to be like a fortress! It is so important that it is listed as a Grade I building. This means it is a very special historical place.
Contents
History of All Saints' Church
The church was mostly built in the late 1300s. It stands on the foundations of an even older church. Back then, churches sometimes needed to be strong. All Saints' Church was designed to protect people from attacks and fires. Even the house where the priest lived, called the rectory, had a strong tower for defense. This tower is known as a pele tower.
Architecture of All Saints' Church
Experts call All Saints' Church "one of the architectural sensations of Cumbria." This means it is really amazing to look at! The outside of the church looks like a style called Perpendicular Gothic. But the inside has a more Scottish feel, with some French influences. The church is built from limestone. The main part of the roof, called the nave, uses sandstone slates. The roof over the altar, called the chancel, uses green slate.
Outside the Church
The church has a main area called the nave. It also has two porches and chapels on the north and south sides. These chapels form what look like arms of a cross, called transepts. There is also a longer section at the east end called the chancel. The porches and transepts are not just for looks. They help support the heavy stone roof of the nave.
At the west end of the church, there is a twin bellcote. This is a small structure that holds the bells. It was moved to its current spot in 1812. A simple wall top, called a parapet, runs around the nave walls. A cross shape, called a finial, stands on the east end of the roof. At the corner where the nave and chancel meet, there is a round stair turret. This turret leads to a walkway around the parapet. The turret has a pointed roof, like a small spire. In the south wall of the chancel, there is an arched doorway for the priest.
Inside the Church
The chancel has an open wooden roof. But the nave has a special stone roof shaped like a half-barrel. This is called a barrel-vaulted roof. This type of roof is very strong and shows that the building was designed to be fortified. It is said to be the only stone barrel-vaulted church in England!
There are stone brackets, called corbels, at the west end. These help support the bellcote and the walkway on the roof. Other corbels in the nave have an unknown purpose. They might have supported wooden scaffolding when the roof was built. Or perhaps they held up an upper floor.
The church has special stone basins called piscinae. These were used for washing sacred vessels. There is one in the chancel and one in each transept. This suggests that the transepts once had their own altars. The font, which is used for baptisms, looks like it is from the 1300s, but it might be even older. Around the walls, you can see plaques from the 1700s and 1800s. The windows have beautiful stained glass from 1864 and 1884. On the west wall, there are boards from the 1800s with the Creed and the Lord's Prayer written on them.
Church Organ
The church has a 19th-century organ. It was built by Wilkinson and Sons of Kendal. This organ was moved to Boltongate in the year 2000. Before that, it was in two other churches.
See also
- Grade I listed churches in Cumbria
- Listed buildings in Boltons
