All Saints Church, Dorchester facts for kids

Quick facts for kids All Saints Church
All Saints Church
Religion
Affiliation	Church of England
Ecclesiastical or organizational status	Redundant
Year consecrated	1845
Location
Location	Dorchester, Dorset, England
Architecture
Architect(s)	Benjamin Ferrey
Architectural type	Church

All Saints Church is a historic building in Dorchester, Dorset, England. It used to be a church for the Church of England. A famous architect named Benjamin Ferrey designed it. The church was built between 1843 and 1845. Today, it is a special building known as a Grade II* listed building, which means it's very important and protected.

History of All Saints Church

Early Beginnings

People believe there has been a church on this spot since the Norman times, which was many hundreds of years ago. The first written records about a church here date back to the 12th century, around the 1100s.

Rebuilding After a Fire

The original church is thought to have been destroyed by a big fire in 1613. After the fire, the church was rebuilt. However, in the mid-1800s, people decided it was time to build a brand new church. This new design would be by Benjamin Ferrey.

Building the New Church

Workers started taking down the old church in August 1843. The first stone for the new church was laid on October 4, 1843. This important event was done by the Bishop of Salisbury, Edward Denison. Local people helped build the church. A church leader named Arthur Henry Dyke Acland also helped a lot with the building plans.

Opening and Finishing Touches

The new All Saints Church was officially opened on May 7, 1845. The Bishop of Salisbury led the special ceremony. At first, the church's tower was not completely finished because they needed more money. Work on making the tower taller began in 1851. A tall, pointed spire was added to the top of the tower in 1852.

A New Purpose for the Building

All Saints Church stopped being used for regular church services on November 13, 1970. It was then sold on November 8, 1972. The Dorchester Borough Council bought it. Now, the building is used by the Dorset County Museum. They use it to store old artifacts and items found during archaeological digs.

Architecture and Design

Building Materials and Style

All Saints Church is built from local limestone, which is a type of stone found in the area. It also uses special cut stone called Ham stone for decorations. The roofs are made of slate. The church is built in a style called "Early English." This style was popular in England many centuries ago and features tall, narrow windows and pointed arches.

Inside the Church

The church has several main parts. It has a long main hall called a nave, which has four sections. On either side of the nave are north and south aisles. There is also a chancel, which is the area near the altar, and a vestry, a room used by the clergy. A tower stands on the north-west side of the church.

Many of the church's furnishings, like the furniture and decorations, were made and given as gifts by local craftspeople and other generous people between 1843 and 1845. The font, which is a basin used for baptisms, is shaped like an octagon. It was carved from a large block of Portland stone by Mr. Gregory from Salisbury.

Special Features

Inside the church, there is a row of seven arches made of Caen stone. These arches show the Ten Commandments and other important Bible verses. They were created by Mr. William Osmond of Salisbury.

The church also keeps some older items from the previous church building. These include an amazing tomb with a statue of Matthew Chubb, who passed away in 1617. There is also a special display of the royal coat of arms of King Charles II.

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  All Saints Church