All Saints Church, West Ham facts for kids
Quick facts for kids All Saints Church, West Ham |
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| 51°32′11″N 0°0′31″E / 51.53639°N 0.00861°E | |
| Location | West Ham, Newham, London |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Denomination | Church of England |
| History | |
| Founded | 12th century |
| Administration | |
| Archdeaconry | West Ham |
| Episcopal area | Barking |
| Archdiocese | Canterbury |
| Diocese | Chelmsford |
All Saints Church is a very old church located in West Ham, a part of east London. It has been recognized as a special building since 1984, meaning it's protected for its history and architecture.
Contents
History of All Saints Church
Early Days: Medieval and Tudor Times
For a long time, All Saints Church was the main church for almost all of West Ham. There was one small exception: a nearby place called Stratford Langthorne Abbey. This abbey had its own church. But when the abbey was closed down many years ago (this was part of a big event called the Dissolution of the Monasteries), its church was destroyed. After that, everyone from that area joined All Saints Church.
People believe there has been a church building on this spot since the late 1100s. Some old windows in the current church are from that time. The first clear mention of the church was in a document from King Henry II of England in 1181-82. This document confirmed that the church belonged to the abbey. The church also has some old pieces, like a stone carving and possibly a part of a baptismal font, that might have come from the abbey.
The main part of the church, called the nave, was rebuilt in the mid-1200s. Around 1400, more changes were made. The church was made longer, and a tall tower was added at the west end. In the 1400s, two chapels were added, one on the north side and one on the south. Many windows were also replaced around this time. In the 1500s, the north chapel was rebuilt using bricks.
Changes in the 1700s and 1800s
In 1707, one of the church's three baptismal fonts was added. Over the next few decades, galleries were built inside the church. These were like balconies to create more seating for people. An organ was also installed in one of these galleries. The outside of the church was updated with new bricks in the early 1800s.
West Ham was growing fast, and more people meant bigger church groups. So, the galleries were made even larger between 1821 and 1824. Even with more space, the church could only fit a small part of the growing population. Because of this, new smaller churches, called "chapels of ease," were built in different parts of the parish. These chapels later became their own separate churches.
In the mid-1800s, famous architects like George Gilbert Scott helped rebuild and improve All Saints Church. They changed the old wooden pews to allow more people to sit. They also added new windows and a new reredos (a decorated screen behind the altar). Later, the galleries that had been added in the 1700s were removed. All Saints Church also helped start other mission churches in the area.
All Saints Church Today
All Saints Church has a few interesting features you might notice today. One is the baptismal font from 1707. It's special because it has the names of three churchwardens instead of the usual two. This tradition comes from when the old parish was divided into three areas.
Another cool thing is the clock in the church tower. It was made in 1857 and was designed by a person named Edmund Beckett, 1st Baron Grimthorpe. This clock was actually the first version of the famous Big Ben clock in London!
