All Saints Church, Weston-on-Avon facts for kids
Quick facts for kids All Saints Church, Weston-on-Avon |
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All Saints Church, Weston-on-Avon from the south
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| 52°09′54″N 1°46′04″W / 52.165°N 1.7678°W | |
| OS grid reference | SP 159 519 |
| Location | Weston-on-Avon, Warwickshire |
| Country | England |
| Denomination | Anglican |
| Website | All Saints Weston |
| History | |
| Status | Parish church |
| Dedication | All Saints |
| Architecture | |
| Functional status | Active |
| Heritage designation | Grade I |
| Designated | 5 April 1967 |
| Architectural type | Church |
| Style | Perpendicular |
| Specifications | |
| Materials | Blue lias, some pebble-dashing, tiled roof |
| Administration | |
| Parish | Weston |
| Deanery | Camden |
| Archdeaconry | Cheltenham |
| Diocese | Gloucester |
| Province | Canterbury |
All Saints Church is a beautiful old church located in the small village of Weston-on-Avon, Warwickshire, England. It's a very important building, officially recognized as a Grade I listed building. This means it's a special historical place! The church is still used today for Anglican services. It is part of the diocese of Gloucester.
Contents
When Was All Saints Church Built?
The first records of a church here date back to 1283. However, there was probably a church on this spot even earlier. Most of the church you see today was built in the mid-1400s. Some parts of the chancel (the area around the altar) might be even older.
A small chapel, dedicated to St. Anne, was taken down in the 1500s. This happened when many chapels like it were closed. The south porch, which is an entrance area, was added in the early 1700s. The church also had some repair work done in 1899.
What Does All Saints Church Look Like?
Outside the Church
The church is built from a type of stone called blue lias. Some parts of it are covered in pebbledash, which is a rough plaster finish. The roof is made of tiles. The church has a main area called the nave, a smaller area called the chancel, a tower at the west end, and a south porch.
The tower is not very tall. At its top corners, you can see four gargoyles. Three of these are carved like winged monsters. The fourth one shows a person playing a recorder. The tower's west window has four sections with fancy Perpendicular designs. The openings for the bells have two sections and louvres (slats). The tower also has strong supports called buttresses and a small stair turret. At the very top, there's a decorative edge and crenellations (like the top of a castle wall).
The north wall of the nave has large windows, each with six sections. One of these windows has stained glass showing many tiny ships. There's also a doorway on the north side that is now blocked up. The south wall has a large window similar to those on the north. The porch is next to it. Inside the church, there's a special opening called a squint with two trefoil-shaped openings. Around the top of the nave, there's another decorative edge.
Inside the Church
When you go inside, you'll see the font, which is where baptisms take place. It has eight sides and was made in the 1800s. The pulpit (where sermons are given) and the choir stalls were added in the early 1900s. The organ was installed in 1960.
On the floor near the pulpit, there are old encaustic tiles from the Middle Ages. In the nave, there's a 17th-century bier, which was used to carry coffins. On the chancel floor, you can find special memorial brasses. These are for Sir John Greville (who died in 1547) and Sir Edward Greville (who died in 1559). Both were important Lords of the Manor of Milcote. On the wall, there are also three memorial tablets from the early 1800s for the Adkins family.
The church has one bell, which dates back to the mid-1400s. It has a cross and the word Gabriel carved into it.
What Else Can You See Outside?
In the churchyard, there's the base of a medieval cross. It's made of limestone and is also a listed building, though at Grade II. You can also find two old chest tombs, which are like stone chests, probably from the late 1600s. These are also listed at Grade II.
