All Saints Church, Leamington Spa facts for kids
Quick facts for kids All Saints' Parish Church, Leamington Spa |
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All Saints' Parish Church, Leamington Spa
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| Denomination | Church of England |
| Churchmanship | Liberal Anglo-Catholicism |
| History | |
| Dedication | All Saints |
| Administration | |
| Parish | Leamington Priors |
| Province | Canterbury |
All Saints' Church is a very important church in Leamington Spa, England. It is the main church for the local area. The building you see today replaced an older, smaller church. Most of it was built between 1843 and 1869. A vicar named John Craig led this huge project. He often designed parts of the church himself! This church is considered a special historical building.
The church welcomes everyone. It supports women serving as priests and believes in fairness for all people.
Contents
About All Saints' Church
This church was built in the 1800s. It uses a style called Gothic Revival. This means it looks like old medieval churches. People have said it is "one of the largest Church of England parish churches." It is so big it can even seem like a cathedral!
The church is right in the middle of Leamington Spa. It sits just south of the River Leam. This area was once the oldest part of the town.
History of the Church
Early Beginnings
The first mention of a priest in "Lamintone" (an old name for Leamington) was in 1086. This was found in the Domesday Book. It was a survey of England ordered by William the Conqueror. While it mentioned a priest, it didn't specifically say there was a church.
The first actual record of a church dates back to the 1100s. At that time, Leamington was just a tiny village. A tall west tower was added to the church in the 1300s. Later, in the 1700s, a south porch was built.
The Famous Springs
Leamington Spa became famous for its natural springs. These springs had special water that people believed was good for their health. The very first spring was found right outside the church's main entrance. This land belonged to the Earl of Aylesford.
Building the Modern Church
By 1843, Leamington was no longer a small village. It had grown into a busy spa town. The church, once in open fields, was now in the town's heart. Two people who helped start Leamington, Benjamin Satchwell and William Abbotts, are buried in the churchyard.
The biggest part of the church's construction happened between 1843 and 1869. Vicar John Craig was in charge. He also paid for much of the work. An architect named J.G. Jackson drew some plans. But many people say Craig did most of the designing himself.
In 1867, a part called the south transept was added. This was designed by architect T.C. Barry.
Later Additions
After Vicar Craig passed away, more work was done. From 1898 to 1902, architect Sir Arthur Blomfield added two western sections to the main part of the church (the nave). He also added a bell tower on the southwest side. These additions made the church much larger. It could then seat about 2000 people!
More recently, from 2007 to 2008, the church grounds were updated. A new sculpture called 'Spring' was placed where the original Leamington spa spring was found.
The Church Today
All Saints' Church is still a very active place of worship. On Sundays and for other important services, a choir sings. Even though the area around the church has changed, it is still known as Leamington's main Parish Church.
The church often hosts organ concerts and other musical events. It also holds an annual All Saints' Arts Festival. Inside the church, there is a lively Ukrainian cafe. It is open from Tuesday to Saturday.
People Who Led the Church
Vicars of Leamington from 1823
- Robert Downes 1823 – 1839
- John Craig 1839 – 1877
- The Hon. J.W. Leigh 1877 – 1884
- Walter Furneaux 1884 – 1896
- Cecil Hook 1896 – 1906
- W. Armstrong Buck 1906 – 1916
- Frederick Feist 1916 – 1933
- G.C. Rolfe 1933 – 1943
- R.C. Streatfield 1943 – 1959
- Anthony Rouse 1959 – 1963
- Idwal Jones 1963 – 1980
- Ian Campbell 1980 – 1991
- J. Gareth Miller 1991–1993
- Interregnum 1993 – 1995
- George Warner 1995 – 2002 (Priest-in-Charge of All Saints and of Holy Trinity)
- Christopher Wilson 2003 – present (Priest-in-Charge, later Vicar of All Saints and of Holy Trinity)
Directors of Music
- Peter Smith
- Simon Tayton, BA, MSc, FCMI
- Bea van der Kaaij
- Julian Parkin 2008 – 2013
- David Williams, FRCO 2013 – 2014
- Simon Lawford, BA, MA, FRCO 2014
- Richard Cook, BA 2014
- Simon Tayton, BA, MSc, FCMI 2014 – 2017
- Suzanne Green, BA, MA 2018 – 2019
- Suzanne Green & Alex Silverman (Job Share) 2019–2022
- Alex Silverman 2022-present
The Church Organ
The church has a large pipe organ. It was built by William Hill & Sons in 1879. The organ has been rebuilt and updated a few times since then. This was done by companies like Hill, Norman and Beard in 1926 and Longstaff & Jones in 1981. You can find details about this organ in the National Pipe Organ Register.
List of Organists
- Henry T Elliston 1820
- Henry Matthews 1864
- Thomas Bladon 1876
- Frank Spinney, FCO 1878
- Walter Spinney 1888
- W H Bellamy 1894
- Lionel Wiggins, Hon RCM FRCO ARCM 1922
- Robert Dickinson, BMus FRCO LRAM 1951
- Hugh Large, FRCO ARCM 1956
- Neil Wade, ARCM, ARCO 1964
- Graham Steed, BMus FRCO 1965
- Alan Jones 1967
- Derrick Stiff 1968
- Keith Sedgebeer, BA 1970
- David M Palmer 1972
- Robert E Munns, FRAM, ARCO, ARCM 1983
- John Wilks, BA BMus FRCO 1987
- Colin Druce, GBSM FRCO ARCM 1988
- Sean Montgomery, ARCO 1998
- Jeremy Meager, ARCO 2007
- Cynthia Hall, MA FRCO 2009
- David Williams, FRCO 2012
- Christopher Beaumont, BMus(hons) MA FTCL 2019
See also
In Spanish: Iglesia de Todos los Santos (Leamington Spa) para niños
