Church of All Saints, Willian facts for kids
The Church of All Saints is an Anglican church in the village of Willian, Hertfordshire. It serves as the main church for the local area. This church is connected with St Paul's church in nearby Letchworth. Both churches are part of the Diocese of St Albans. The Church of All Saints is a very important historical building. It has been a Grade II* listed building since 1954. This means it is a building of special interest.
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What does the outside of the church look like?
The Church of All Saints is very old, dating back to the Norman period. The main part of the church, called the nave, was built between the 12th and 13th centuries. The chancel, which is the area around the altar, is also from this time. The church's tower and the south entrance were added in the 15th century.
The tower has three levels and a small staircase inside. It has a battlemented top, which looks like a castle wall. You can see eight gargoyles on the tower. These are carved stone figures that often act as water spouts. Some thin red tiles on the tower's south side might show how much work the builders did each day.
In 1996, the tower was repaired. Seven of the eight gargoyles were replaced with new ones. These new carvings show pairs of opposites, like Life and Death, or a King and a Queen. A clock was added to the tower in 1897. This was to celebrate Queen Victoria's 60th year as queen. It was repaired again in 1991. The stone supports, called buttresses, on the nave are from the 15th century. Those on the chancel were added in the 19th century. The roof is made of Welsh slate. The church walls are built from flint and ironstone. The windows, from the 14th and 15th centuries, are in the Perpendicular style. This is a type of Gothic architecture.
What can you see inside the church?
Inside the church, both the nave and chancel have a curved timber roof. This type of roof is called a barrel roof. The chancel still has its original carved faces, known as corbel masks. The nave feels bright and open. This is because of changes made between 1866 and 1870. During this time, a new window was added, and the roof was made higher.
Two windows facing each other date back to about 1430. However, the stained glass in them was put in much later, in 1918. The church walls themselves are very old, from around 1100 to 1150. The communion table stands out in the church. Behind it, there is a special chair for the person leading the service. This chair was made in 1974. It uses old wooden carvings from the Middle Ages. One carving shows an elephant and a castle. Another panel shows the head of John the Baptist. Experts believe these carvings were first made around 1475. They were likely for St Andrew's church in Biggleswade. They were brought to Willian around 1830.
You can also see a special brass plaque for Richard Golden. He was a priest at Willian from 1416 to 1466. The church walls have many beautiful monuments. In the chancel, there are monuments for Edward and Joan Lacon, John Chapman, and Thomas Wilson. The monument for Thomas Wilson is especially rare and beautiful. These monuments were cleaned and repainted in 1974.
The church has two lecterns, which are stands for reading. The newer one was given in memory of Samuel Valentine, who died in 1974. The older lectern was given in 1870 by Thomas Legh Claughton. He was the Bishop of Rochester at that time. The original screen that separated the nave from the chancel, called a rood screen, has been removed. Above the arch leading to the tower, you can see the Royal Arms. These were probably put there during the 1870 repairs.
At the bottom of the tower, there is a special system called the Ellacombe chiming apparatus. This allows one person to ring all six church bells. The oldest bell that is still in its original condition dates back to 1662. The church organ was made in 1864 and was refurbished in 1986. The Victorian baptismal font is thought to be the fourth one in the church's history. The one before it was used as a plant pot in the Rectory garden!
Who is buried at the church?
Many people are buried in the churchyard. One notable person is Annie Jane Lawrence. She built The Cloisters, a famous building in nearby Letchworth. Also buried here is Bernard George Ellis. He was awarded the Albert Medal in 1919 for saving lives. This medal was later changed to the George Cross in 1970.
The Commonwealth War Graves Commission maintains five graves here. One grave is from World War I, and four are from World War II. These graves honor soldiers who died serving their country.
Images for kids
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Monumental brass to Richard Golden (died 1446)
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Elephant and castle carving of about 1475 on a modern chair made using medieval woodwork
