Details
SP 57 NE SWINFORD CHURCH WALK
7/54 Church of All Saints
11/01/55
- II*
Parish church. Early C13, C14, C15 east end rebuilt in 1778,
rebuilt and enlarged in 1895. Rubblestone with ashlar dressings.
Lead and plain tile roofs. West tower, nave, north and south
aisles, north vestry, south porch organ chamber, chancel,
continuous plinth, continuous cornice, buttresses with set-offs.
C14, 2-stage, west tower with 2 string courses. Diagonal
buttresses, embattled parapet. West elevation: double-chamfered,
pointed arch, west doorway with plank door. Above, a chamfered,
pointed arch, 2-light window. Above in 2nd stage, a chamfered,
pointed arch, 2-light, louvred bell-opening. To left, 4
ascending loop holes. South elevation has remains of a chamfered
window frame beneath C20 octagonal Swithland slate clock face
dated "1819: Thomas Clark, James Wilson Churchwardens" clockface:
Above, a bell-opening similar to that of west elevation. North
and east elevations have similar bell-openings. Clerestory:
north and south elevations the same, with four 2-light windows
with chamfered, rectangular frames, and a similar C19 window in
the chancel. North aisle: C19 single-light west window with
hoodmould. Attached to north, C19 vestry, with coped parapet.
West wall of vestry has a chamfered, pointed arch doorway with
hoodmould and plank door, followed by 2 buttresses. East wall
has 2-light window with chamfered square frame. North aisle
again, from west to east; a chamfered, four-centred arch, 2-light
window, then a buttress, followed by another similar window and
another buttress. Similar window in east wall. South aisle from
west to east; a C19 chamfered, pointed arch, 2-light window with
hoodmould. C19 south porch with plain tile roof, coped gables
with kneelers and cross finials. Diagonal buttresses.
Chamfered, pointed arch, doorway with hoodmould and double plank
doors. Small trefoiled window in east and west walls. Double-
moulded, pointed arch, south doorway with C20 double doors. C19
sill band running from porch to end of aisle. To east of porch,
a chamfered, pointed arch, 2-light window with hoodmould,
followed by a similar window. At the end of the wall, a scratch
dial. C19 organ chamber in south-east corner with coped east
gable with kneelers. Single 2-light window with square frame in
south wall of chamber. C19 chancel continues roofline of nave.
Polygonal east end with string course and buttresses. Single
tall chamfered, pointed arch window in south-east face, another
similar, in north-east face. North wall has large opening,
bricked up, with brick segmental arch. Chamfered pointed arch
east window with hoodmould.
INTERIOR: narrow, double-chamfered tower arch with polygonal
responds with capitals and bases. 3-bay nave arches, with double
chamfered arches. North arcade has 2 C13 bays with to west, a
rounded respond with capital with water leaf decoration, and
base. Circular pier with octagonal abacus and capital with water
leaf decoration, and base. To east a round respond with capital
with water leaf crocket decoration, and base. To east again, a
hiatus of wall, then a C14 bay with polygonal responds, with
remains of capital on north side of west respond. South arcade
has 2 bays to west with polygonal responds with partial capitals
and bases, and similarly treated polygonal pier. To east a
hiatus of wall , then a C14 bay with inner arch carried on
polygonal corbels. C15 north aisle has plain doorway leading to
vestry in north-west corner. C14 south aisle has chamfered
pointed arch to organ chamber, and heavily-moulded ogee-arched
piscina in south-east corner. C19 chancel and fittings. 3 steps
up and divided from nave by a low stone screen pierced by
quatrefoils in circles, terminating to north in polygonal stone
pulpit with quatrefoils and trefoils in its sides. Panelled
walls. Stone reredos with tracery picked out in gold. C19,
altar table rails, pews, stalls, elaborate painted iron lectern.
2 portable organs. C12 drum font with decorative arching, set
on 5 short shafts, 3 with twisted baluster form, possibly C17.
C19 lid.
MONUMENTS: nave: 3 hatchments on west above tower arch. 2 late
C19 marble wall memorials flanked tower arch WWI single memorial
on north wall. North aisle: large brass plaque mounted on
marble, referring to endowment of Baroness Brave (d.1862) on
north wall. Grey and white wall memorial to James Floyd (d.1817)
on north wall at east end. South aisle: C20 wall memorial on
south wall to east of door. WWI single memorial to west of door.
Square wooden bequest board referring to James Floyd, above south
door. Royal Arms in square wooden panel dated 1798, on west
wall. Below this, C19 panelling inscribed with Ten Commandments.
C15 roof with moulded beams and moulded trusses with bosses. C19
painted shields on truss ends. North aisle roof restored in C19
retains some C15 timber. South aisle and chancel roofs, C19.
Stone flagged floors. C19 stained glass.
(Buildings of England: Leicestershire: p.401)
Listing NGR: SP5694679428
