All Saints Church, Crondall facts for kids
Quick facts for kids All Saints Church, Crondall |
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All Saints Church, Crondall
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| Location | Crondall, Hampshire |
| Country | England |
| Denomination | Anglican |
| Website | http://www.assm.org.uk/welcome.htm |
| History | |
| Status | Parish church |
| Founded | c. 1170 |
| Dedication | All Saints |
| Architecture | |
| Functional status | Active |
| Heritage designation | Listed building – Grade I |
| Architectural type | Church |
| Style | Norman, Early English, Perpendicular |
| Specifications | |
| Materials | Stone, brick |
| Administration | |
| Diocese | Diocese of Guildford |
| Province | Canterbury |
All Saints Church is a very old and important Anglican church. It is located in the village of Crondall, Hampshire, England. This church is so special that it is a Grade I listed building, which means it's protected because of its history and beauty. You can find it at the highest point in the village.
Most of the church was built during the Norman period. However, the original tower was replaced in 1659. Some parts, like the windows and porches, were changed in the 1800s. People have called it "one of the finest parish churches in the country." Some even call it the "cathedral of North Hampshire" because it's so grand!
Contents
History of All Saints Church
Early Anglo-Saxon Church
Before the current church, an even older Anglo-Saxon church stood here. It was built around the 800s. At that time, Alfred the Great owned the land around Crondall. The church's leader, called the rector, was in charge of a huge area. This area included places like Aldershot and Yateley. This responsibility continued even after the Normans took over England. In 1086, the Domesday Book said the church was worth 20 shillings. Today, we can only find small pieces of this old church. These include a flint wall under the north side and a blocked-up wall on the south side.
Norman Building Period
Archaeologists have found signs of an even earlier Norman church. This church was built on top of the Anglo-Saxon one. The church we see today was built around 1170. This happened because Henry of Blois, who was the Bishop of Winchester and King Stephen's half-brother, ordered it. He might have used builders who had just finished working on Winchester Cathedral.
If you look at the outside, you can still see Norman parts. These include the south door, the west doorway, and a blocked-up window. The arched walkways inside the church, called the nave, were built on the older Norman church's foundations. The chancel, which is the area near the altar, was added later in the 1100s. It has a special arched ceiling with ribs. The main decoration on this ceiling is the Lamb of God. There used to be a tower in the middle of the church. But it was taken down in 1659. You can still see how its removal affected the church's structure.
The west doorway was built around 1200. It has a beautifully carved arch with a sculpted head at the top. The font, which is a large basin used for baptisms, is also thought to be from the 1100s. Some people even believe it might be from the original Anglo-Saxon church.
Changes from the 1200s to 1500s
For a long time, the right to choose the church's vicars belonged to the owner of Crondall manor. But in 1284, the Bishop of Winchester gained this right. Later, in 1446, this right was given to the Hospital of St Cross in Winchester. They kept this right even after the Dissolution of the Monasteries, when many religious places were closed.
You can find three Crusader crosses carved on the east side of the north porch doorway. One might have been carved in the 1200s by Sir Alexander Giffard. He was a knight who prayed at the church before going on a crusade. On the opposite doorway, there are crosses that people believe were made by pilgrims. These pilgrims were walking on the nearby Pilgrims' Way from Winchester to Canterbury. They would stop here before visiting the tomb of Thomas Becket in Canterbury Cathedral.
In 1538, the church became Anglican as part of changes made by Thomas Cromwell. This meant that wall paintings were covered up. Candlesticks and statues were removed. A wooden table replaced the stone altar. And services began to be held in English, using an English Bible.
The windows on the south side of the chancel are from the 1300s. There is also a special brass plate on the chancel floor. It remembers Nicholas de Kaerwent, who was a vicar from 1361 to 1381. It even has special Fylfot crosses on it.
Two family tombs from this time are in the chancel. The Gifford tomb (from 1563) has an inscription about John Gyfford. The Paulet tomb (from 1558) is for Sir George Paulet. He was involved in closing down monasteries. Many of the words on his tomb have been removed.
The 1600s and 1700s
In 1643, soldiers from the Parliamentarian army took over the church. They heavily defended it and damaged some parts. After this, many people reported seeing ghosts of Parliamentarian soldiers in the churchyard. They especially talked about a mounted soldier who would ride up the path and then disappear!
In 1642, a new frame for the bells was put in the old Norman tower. Two more bells were added, and the roof was covered with lead. But by 1657, people worried the old tower was not strong enough. So, they decided to take it down. A new, separate tower was built in 1659. It cost £428 and used 110,000 bricks! This new tower was connected to the church by two wooden walkways. These walkways looked "as if part of a Shakespearean theatre." The tower has arched doorways and windows. It has four pointed tops on the bell tower. The six bells in the tower are very old, dating from 1616, 1619, 1650, and 1788. The clock on the tower was replaced in 1876.
The 1800s and 1900s
The church had two main periods of rebuilding in the 1800s. The first was in 1847, led by Benjamin Ferrey. During this time, the walkways and seating were replaced. The windows in the upper part of the church (clerestory) and the aisles were also changed. Two new narrow windows were put in the west wall.
A much bigger set of changes happened in 1871. These were done by George Gilbert Scott, Jr.. Most of this work was in the chancel. The floor was raised, and oak choir seats were added. The outside walls were covered in a cement material. This was later removed after 1997 because it held water. An organ was also placed in front of the west window.
Very little work was done in the church until 1971. The vicar, John Hunt, had the organ moved. A new organ was installed near the font. The roofs of the chancel and nave were re-covered with lead. The church also got a modern heating system.
Vicars of All Saints Church
- 1230 – Simon the Parson
- 1248 – John the Parson
- 1283 – Peter de Guldeford
- 1288 – John de Berewyke
- 1289 – John Leycester
- 1312 – Simon de Farham
- 1317 – John the Vicar
- 1319 – Robert de Trumpesflete
- 1321 – Thomas de Stantone
- 1327 – John de Ferriby
- 1352–61 – John Lecche
- 1361–81 – Nicholas de Kaerwent
- 1364 – Thomas de Suttone
- 1375 – John Ivote
- 1376 – Robert Mayo
- 1381–97 – John de Wykeham
- 1387 – John Benstede
- 1445 – John Foxhoulds died
- 1445 – Avowson granted to the foundation of St Cross Hospital
- 1538 – John Wynman died
- 1538 – Henry Winnington
- 1560 – Peter Russell
- 1570 – Thomas Thompson
- 1624 – Raphael Reiniger
- 1630 – Lorkin Linely
- 1647 – Humphrey Weaver
- 1662 – Samuel Blundell
- 1678 – John Harrison
- 1683 – Richard Pauley
- 1714 – Thomas Sone
- 1747 – John Bourne
- 1782 – Charles Smith
- 1803 – John Crane
- 1808 – George Sherer
- 1809 – James Ogle
- 1833 – William Harrison
- 1891 – Malcolm Baynes
- 1898 – Edward Cotton
- 1919 – Cecil Stooks
- 1924 – Cyril Balmer
- 1932 – Roland Butterfield
- 1952 – Bernard Harrison
- 1958 – John Hunt
- 1975 – John Prior
- 1980 – James Voake
- 1991 – Paul Rich OBE
- 2006 – Karen Hutchinson
- 2012 – Tara Hellings
Images for kids
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Font (its age is debated, see text)
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The 12th-century chancel
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The south door
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Organ at the west end, covering the west window
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The west end, with two 19th-century windows
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Decorations on the arch between the chancel and nave
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The Giffard family tomb
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The Paulet family tomb
