Cold Hanworth: All Saints
Overview
Grid reference: TF 34 832
The church was built in 1863 to the designs of J.Croft of Islington, London. The builder was W. Huddleston of Lincoln. The overwhelming impression is one of restlessness. The walls are faced with rock-faced limestone, and there is hardly one inch of the exterior without some form of ornamentation.
Visiting and facilities
Building is closed for worship
Building
Ground Plan Description and Dimensions
Ground plan:
The church comprises a small chancel with a tiny octagonal vestry on the north side, nave with miniature western tower and spire, and a small south porch.
Description of Archaeology and History
The church was built in 1863 to the designs of J.Croft of Islington, London. The builder was W. Huddleston of Lincoln.
Exterior Description
The architect of the church was also responsible for the churchyard boundary wall and the Lych-gate. The latter is idiosyncratic in design, having a large timber gable over a rock-faced pointed archway with heavily battered supports. Seen from the west the church is screened by low trees and, when approached, displays an exterior as unusual as the lych-gate. The over whelming impression is one of restlessness. The walls are faced with rock-faced limestone, and there is hardly one inch of the exterior without some form of ornamentation.
At the west end of the building, partly engaged, is a small tower with battering and buttresses of dressed stone. Almost the whole of the west front of the lower part of the tower is filled by a tall thin pointed window with a bold surround and tracery which is an individual version of Decorated rorms. In the side walls of the tower are very small narrow and sharply pointed windows. At the top of the rectangular stage is a highly elaborate string course, and then the tower turns octagonal by means of curved inverted broaches. The north, south east and west faces have louvred pointed windows, the alternatingfaces elongated sexfoil openings. This octagonal stage has a short parapet, pierced by three small trefoils on each side, and punctuated at the angles by pyramidal pinnacles. From inside the parapet rises an octagonal spire with crocketed roll ribs and two tiers of blind cinquefoils and trefoils. The spire terminates in a moulded neck-piece.
After the tower the south front is probably the most elaborate part of the church. At the extreme west end is the steeply gabled porch. The tall doorway is flanked by short wall-shafts with large and elaborate foliated capitals. Set into the gable of the porch is an incised cross, and a curious spiky cross caps the roof. At the junction of the porch and the steep slated nave roof rises an octagonal stone chimney whose form recrills the gothick work of the early 19th century. The upper part of the chimney has blind arcading, and the smoke is emitted through some of the eight lucarnes which form the cowl. The nave extends for three bays east of the porch, the easternmentbay being in the form of a small transept with its own gable. The bay divisions are marked externally by plain buttresses with large sloping tops, and the windows are all of two lights with tracery in the head. The tracery of these windows, and of most of the others in the building is highly original and no two windows are alike.
The chancel is two bays deep, with very narrow lancet windows in the side walls, and a large three-light window in the east wall. The chancel gable is capped by a stone cross, as is the east gable of the nave roof, and also the transept gables. The north side of the building is rather more straightforward than the south, but tucked in the angle between the chancel and the east wall of the nave is a tiny octagonal vestry, more like a tent than a building, with tall thin window gables which rise above the lower part of the roof.
Building Fabric and Features
Stained Glass
The east and west windows are filled with stained glass as are the small side windows of the chancel. The glass is probably contemporary with the church.
Interior
Interior Description
The interior of the church is as intriguing as the exterior. The lower part of the tower forms a small baptistry with a groined roof-vault supported on wall-posts and corbels. The lower part of the east wall of the tower has decorated shafting and foliage carving, which is continued in the capitals of the window arches, and also on either side of the east window. The nave has a pitched timber roof with long curving arched braces supported on hammer-beams which in turn rest on disproportionately thin octagonal columns standing on massive corbels. The lower ends of the arch braces are inset with panels of fretwork and the large wall plates also have pierced decoration. Beyond the surprisingly plain chancel arch is another elaborate roof of the same type, but here the hammer-beams have floriated ends, and each rib has a ridge—boss. From the inside, the coarseness of the window tracery becomes fully apparent, but it neverthelessmakes an important contribution to the elaborate whole.
Fixtures and fittings
Font (object)
In the baptistry at the west end of the nave is a stone font whose squat octagonal bowl is heavily encrusted with floral carving, and whose stem is encircled by two bands of rope-moulding. It has a flat wooden cover with ornamental ironwork.
Reredos
It consists of three trefoil-headed panels with floral corbel; between them supporting carved angels.
Pulpit
Heavily carved, the pulpit has a book stand supported on a column with a capital like those in the porch.
Pew (object)
The pews have boldly carved ends with a large cinque-foil motif.
Churchyard
Grid reference: TF 34 832
Burial and War Grave Information
It is unknown whether the building is consecrated.
It is unknown whether the churchyard has been used for burial.
It is unknown whether the churchyard is used for burial.
It is unknown whether the churchyard has war graves.
National Heritage record for England designations
There are no records of National Heritage assets within the curtilage of this site.
Environment
Ancient, Veteran & Notable Trees
Caring for God's Acre is a conservation charity working to support groups and individuals to investigate, care for, and enjoy the wildlife and heritage treasures found within churchyards and other burial grounds. Look on their website for information and advice and please contact their staff directly. They can help you manage this churchyard for people and wildlife.
To learn more about all the species recorded against this church, go to the Burial Ground Portal within the NBN Atlas. You can check the spread of records through the years, discovering what has been recorded and when, plus what discoveries might remain to be uncovered.
There are no records of Ancient, Veteran or Notable Trees within the curtilage of this site.
Renewables
| Renewable | Installed |
|---|---|
| Solar PV Panels | N/A |
| Solar Thermal Panels | N/A |
| Biomass | N/A |
| Wind Turbine | N/A |
| Air Source Heat Pump | N/A |
| Ground Source Heat Pump | N/A |
| Ev Charging | N/A |
Species summary
There are no records of species within the curtilage of this site.
Caring for God's Acre is a conservation charity working to support groups and individuals to investigate, care for, and enjoy the wildlife and heritage treasures found within churchyards and other burial grounds. Look on their website for information and advice and please contact their staff directly. They can help you manage this churchyard for people and wildlife.
To learn more about all the species recorded against this church, go to the Burial Ground Portal within the NBN Atlas. You can check the spread of records through the years, discovering what has been recorded and when, plus what discoveries might remain to be uncovered.
'Seek advice' Species
More information on species and action to be taken upon discovery.
Caring for God's Acre is a conservation charity working to support groups and individuals to investigate, care for, and enjoy the wildlife and heritage treasures found within churchyards and other burial grounds. Look on their website for information and advice and please contact their staff directly. They can help you manage this churchyard for people and wildlife.
To learn more about all the species recorded against this church, go to the Burial Ground Portal within the NBN Atlas. You can check the spread of records through the years, discovering what has been recorded and when, plus what discoveries might remain to be uncovered.
Further information
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