All Saints Church, Heathfield

All Saints Church is a Church of England parish church in Heathfield, East Sussex, England. It was constructed in the 14th century and is a Grade II* listed building.[1]

All Saints Church
50°57′36″N 0°16′30″E
LocationHeathfield, East Sussex
CountryEngland
DenominationChurch of England
Previous denominationRoman Catholic Church
History
StatusOpen
Architecture
Functional statusOpen
Heritage designationGrade II*
Years built14th Century

History

The church was built in the 14th century on the location of a former church with the 13th century tower being incorporated into the new church. Stonemasons working on the church built a pub next door to act as their shelter when they were working on it.[2]

In the early 1600s, the vicar of the church was Reverend Robert Hunt. He was not popular with the local parishioners owing to him not living in the parish,[3] as well as being accused of sexual impropriety with his maid.[2] Despite being acquitted, the Archbishop of Canterbury recommended he go to the Colony of Virginia. He landed in Jamestown and conducted the first Church of England service in the colony.[2] A stained glass window commemorating this event was installed in All Saints in 1957.[4]

The church was expanded in 1823 with the addition of two side galleries with a capacity of 120, paid for by the Incorporated Society for the Enlargement of Churches.[5] It was restored in 1861 and in 1872 by an architect called J. Billing.[6] In 1917, a stained glass window to Lt-Colonel W. C. C. Ash in suffragette colours was installed after a contribution from one of his close female relatives in the north aisle.[2] It was granted Grade II* listed status in 1966.[1]

Churchyard

The churchyard contains a crypt which also dated back to the 14th century when the church was constructed.[1] The church has occasionally received grants from Heathfield and Waldron Parish Council.[7] It contains 19 military graves managed by the Commonwealth War Graves Commission.[8]

See also

References
  1. "THE PARISH CHURCH OF ALL SAINTS". Historic England. Retrieved 2023-01-13.
  2. Opening times. "Old Heathfield All Saints". National Churches Trust. Retrieved 2023-01-13.
  3. "Rediscovering Reverend Hunt". Smithsonian. Retrieved 2023-01-13.
  4. Montgomery, Dennis (2007). 1607: Jamestown and the New World. Rowman & Littlefield Publishers. p. 99. ISBN 9780742569003.
  5. Horsfield, Thomas (1835). The History, Antiquities, and Topography of the County of Sussex. Vol. 1. Sussex Press. p. 576. ISBN 9780903967204.
  6. "The Parish church of All Saints, Heathfield and Waldron". British Listed Buildings. Retrieved 2023-01-13.
  7. "Heathfield and Waldron Parish Council given grant to the churchyard at All Saints, Heathfield". Kent and Sussex Courier. 1980-12-12. Retrieved 2023-01-13 – via Newspapers.com.
  8. "Heathfield (All Saints) Churchyard". CWGC. Retrieved 2023-01-13.
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