Church of All Saints

Details

LANCHESTER DURHAM ROAD NZ 1647 (East side) Lanchester

13/78 Church of All Saints 17/1/67 GV I

Parish church; collegiate church 1283-C16; at one time known as church of St. Mary. C12, possibly incorporating earlier fabric, with C13 alterations and additions, and C14, C15 and later alterations. Sandstone, much of it coursed and squared and including large blocks, with plinth, quoins and ashlar dresssings; roofs of Lakeland slate; stone-flagged porch roof.

West tower; aisled nave with south porch; chancel with north organ chamber and vestry. Tower has short diagonal buttresses flanking chamfered window with cusped Y tracery; clock in moulded surround at top of high first stage; belfry has C19 openings in similar style to west window, with polygonal corner pilasters, under parapet string with stone drains below battlements with corner pinnacles. Small rectangular lights in north and south elevations and in stair turret on south-east. Battlemented aisle and nave. Steeply-gabled south porch has double-chamfered 2-centred arch on re-used shafts with cushion capitals, and sundial in gable peak; inner door round-headed with chevron moulding and probably C13 door with large wrought-iron hinges, partly renewed. Buttressed aisles have 2 Tudor-arched lights in hollow-chamfered surrounds; similar 2-light clerestory windows. Lower chancel has varied windows, all with 2-centred-arched heads; some with cusped tracery; 3 east lancets, the central slightly higher; partly-blocked 2-centred arched vestry window with Tudor-arched 2-light window inserted below.

Nave roof hipped at east end; chancel roof has east gable coping with cross finial, and catslide roof over vestry.

Interior: lime-washed plaster with ashlar dressings and arcades; c.1600 nave roof on slightly-arched tie-beams, with south aisle of same date and north aisle C19; tower has deeply-ribbed vault with bell-rope roundel; chancel has arch- braced early C20 roof. 4-bay arcades have keel-moulded 2-centred arches, with inner chamfered arch and continuous dripmould with nutmeg decoration, on round piers with octagonal bases; north piers monolithic and probably from nearby Roman fort. Chamfered 2-centred tower arch, with imposts, has corbelled chamfered inner arch; elliptical-headed chancel arch of 2 orders has chevron moulding on shafts with cushion capitals, raised in high base, perhaps of former screen. 3-bay chancel has massive 4-chamfered south-west arch on squinches containing 3-light window; north organ arch, formerly to chapel, of similar shape with 4 ribs on chamfered reveals; trefoil heads to east lancets and blocked north lancets. Roll-moulded cusped surround to vestry door with high- relief carved mutilated figure and foliage in tympanum, in vigorous flowing style. Re-used head corbels in chancel have been candle holders; similarities are noted with the eyes of heads at Rheims, Westminster and Lincoln, and with head corbels in chapel of the Nine Altars in Durham Cathedral. Glass includes 3 early C13 sections depicting flight into Egypt, Annunciation to the Shepherds and Adoration of the Magi set against south-west chancel window; other glass C19 memorials, and geometric-patterned clear glass, that in clerestory by L.C. Evetts.

Monuments include C14 effigy in south aisle: priest with chalice, in arch of re-used chevron moulding; large slabs in chancel floor to Samual Sanderson of Hedleyhope, died 1656; memorial to George Baker of Crooke, died 1677 inscribed on slab with small brass inscribed to John Rudde, Dean, died 1490. In north aisle, white marble late C18 wall slab in pilastered frame with coat of arms, to James and George Clavering; white marble in Classical style, mid-C18, to members of the Greenwell family. In south aisle to George Hedley of Burnhopeside Hall, died 1886, describing his father William's achievement in the field of railway locomotive engineering (see Burnhopeside Hall). Pews and many furnishings by Thompson of Masham. Chancel stalls have traceried backs and foliage-carved misericords; C17 communion rail with widely-spaced turned balusters supporting grip rail.

South porch contains Roman altar of high quality, to goddess Garmangabis, and medieval cross-slabs. Other medieval cross slabs reported to be in tower.

Sources: W. Fordyce, The History and Antiquities of the County Palantine of Durham, Vol. II, 646-51; J.W. Fawcett, The Parish Registers of All Saints' Church, Lanchester, Satley 1909; P.F. Ryder, The Medieval Cross Slab Grave Cover in County Durham, Durham 1985, 102-3.

Listing NGR: NZ1676247392

Legacy

The contents of this record have been generated from a legacy data system.

Legacy System number:

350585

Legacy System:

LBS

Sources

Books and journals
Fawcett, J W, The Parish Registers of All Saints Church Lanchester, (1909)
Fordyce, W, The History and Antiquities of the County Palatinate of Durham, (1857), 646-51
Transactions of the Architectural and Archaeological Society of Durham and North in Transactions of the Architectural and Archaeological Society of Durham and North, (1985), 102-3

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