All Saints Church, Vange facts for kids
Quick facts for kids All Saints Church, Vange |
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All Saints Church, Vange
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| OS grid reference | TQ 715 867 |
| Location | Vange, Basildon, Essex |
| Country | England |
| Denomination | Anglican |
| Website | Churches Conservation Trust |
| Architecture | |
| Functional status | Redundant |
| Heritage designation | Grade II* |
| Specifications | |
| Materials | Ragstone and flint Tiled roof. |
All Saints Church is a very old Anglican church located in Vange, which is now part of Basildon, Essex, England. It's not used for regular church services anymore, which means it's a "redundant church." This special building is protected as a Grade II* listed building, meaning it's historically important. The Churches Conservation Trust takes care of it now, making sure it stays safe for everyone to see. You can find it south of Basildon, close to the A13 road.
Contents
History of All Saints Church
All Saints Church in Vange is thought to be the oldest church still standing in Basildon. It probably dates back to around 1328. Over the years, new parts were added to the church.
Changes Over Time
The biggest change happened in 1837. The west wall was rebuilt, and a gallery was added inside. Later, in the late 1890s, the church was restored again. This work finished in May 1896. In 1890, the old "box pews" (like private seating areas) were replaced with benches.
At first, oil lamps lit the church. Later, electricity was installed in 1931. This also provided heating for the building.
Becoming a Listed Building
On July 4, 1955, All Saints Church became a listed building. This means the government recognized it as a building of special historic interest. Today, it is a Grade II* listed building, which is a high level of protection.
A New Church for a Growing Town
In the 1950s, the number of people living in Vange started to grow a lot. This was because Basildon was becoming a new town with many new homes. The old All Saints Church was considered too small and not in the best location for the growing community. So, a new church called St. Chad's was built. It opened in 1958.
Closing and Restoration
Even after St. Chad's opened, some services, marriages, and funerals still happened at All Saints. However, by the 1990s, it was clear the church needed a lot of repair work to survive.
The last service was held in 1994. All Saints Church in Vange officially became "redundant" on February 14, 1996. In January 2003, the Churches Conservation Trust took over its care.
The church needed many repairs because it had gotten old and had also been damaged by vandalism. The repair work happened in two main stages. The first stage, starting in April 2004, made the building stable and protected it from the weather. The second stage involved fixing the inside of the church. This included repairing doors and windows, fixing cracks in the walls, rebuilding the stairs to the rood loft, saving old wall paintings, fixing the nave ceiling, and restoring the bellcote.
Architecture of the Church
All Saints Church is built using ragstone and flint, which are types of stone. It has a tiled roof. The church has a simple design, with just a nave (the main part where people sit) and a chancel (the area near the altar). There is a bellcote (a small tower for bells) at the west end.
Key Architectural Features
The bellcote is made of wood, covered with weatherboarding (wooden planks) and has a pyramid-shaped roof covered in shingles. On the south wall of the nave, you can still see parts of a Norman window, which is very old. There is also a door from the 15th century. Both the north and south walls of the nave have windows that also date from the 15th century.
Church Features
Inside All Saints Church, you can find several interesting historical features.
Norman Chancel Arch
When you enter the chancel, you will see the original Chancel Arch. This arch is about 900 years old! It has been repaired many times over the centuries, with each generation adding their own touch. The arch is about 3.75 feet (1.1 meters) thick. Repairs above the arch were done in the 13th and 14th centuries.
12th Century Font
In the nave, there is a beautiful font from the 12th century. It is made of a type of stone called Purbeck Marble. The bowl of the font is lined with lead. You can even see some old "graffiti" from the 17th century inside and outside the font, in zig-zag and V-shapes.
Rood Stairs
The nave also has a set of rood stairs in the south wall. These stone stairs have recently been restored. Originally, there would have been a screen on the upper level, and possibly a loft space created by wooden beams. This "Rood screen" was destroyed during the Reformation.
Medieval Last Judgement Painting
On the south wall of the chancel, you can still see a small part of a medieval painting from the 13th century. This painting was found during restorations in 1904. It shows a scene of the "Doom" or the "Last Judgement," which comes from the Bible's Book of Revelation. Most of the painting was destroyed around 1540.
Memorials
In the chancel, on the North wall, there are three nice plaques. Two of these date back to the 17th century, and one is from the early 19th century.
External Features
The churchyard around All Saints Church is also important. It contains the war graves of five soldiers and two sailors from the Royal Navy who died during World War II.
See also
