Church of All Saints, Langport facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Church of All Saints
Location	Langport, Somerset, England
Built	15th century
Listed Building – Grade I
Designated	17 April 1959
Reference no.	263185
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The Church of All Saints in Langport, England, is a very old building. It first started in the 1100s. However, most of the church you see today was rebuilt in the late 1400s. This church is a special place. It is officially listed as a Grade I listed building. This means it is a very important historic building.

Church Design and Features

The Tower and Its Style

The church has a tall, square tower. It was built around 1455. This tower is in a style called "Perpendicular." This means it has lots of straight, upright lines in its design. The very top part of the tower was rebuilt later, in 1833. New side sections, called aisles, were added to the church in 1499.

Hunky Punks and Royal Connections

You can find many interesting stone carvings on the church. These are known locally as 'hunky punks'. They are like gargoyles, but they don't always spout water. Look closely, and you might see a special symbol. It's a portcullis, which is a strong gate. This symbol is part of the coat of arms of Margaret Beaufort, Countess of Richmond and Derby. She was a powerful lady who owned land in the Langport area. People believe that two of the hunky punks might even show Margaret Beaufort and her son, Henry VII of England. He later became King of England!

The Beautiful East Window

The big window at the east end of the church is very special. It has stained glass from the late 1400s. This glass shows different saints. The church is named "All Saints," so this fits perfectly. Even though the window was fixed in the 1800s, it is still one of the best old medieval windows in Somerset. It's also unusual because all the glass in it is from the same time period.

What the Church is Used For Today

A Church with a New Purpose

The Church of All Saints is not used for regular Sunday services anymore. Its church members now go to a nearby church called St Mary's Huish. This means All Saints is now a redundant church. It is looked after by the Churches Conservation Trust. This group helps to save important old churches. The Trust took over the church in 1995. They have done a lot of work to fix and restore it.

The New Saints Project

In 2011, the Churches Conservation Trust started an exciting project. They worked with the local community in Langport. The goal was to give All Saints church a new purpose. Now, a group of young people is helping with this project. They are aged 16 to 25. This group is called the 'New Saints'. They are working to bring new life and uses to the historic Church of All Saints.

See also

• Grade I listed buildings in South Somerset
• List of Somerset towers
• List of churches preserved by the Churches Conservation Trust in Southwest England