The Church of All Saints in
Pontefract
Pontefract is a historic market town in the Metropolitan Borough of Wakefield in West Yorkshire, England, east of Wakefield and south of Castleford. Historically part of the West Riding of Yorkshire, it is one of the towns in the City of Wake ...
,
West Yorkshire
West Yorkshire is a metropolitan and ceremonial county in the Yorkshire and Humber Region of England. It is an inland and upland county having eastward-draining valleys while taking in the moors of the Pennines. West Yorkshire came into exi ...
, England is an active
Church of England
The Church of England (C of E) is the established Christian church in England and the mother church of the international Anglican Communion. It traces its history to the Christian church recorded as existing in the Roman province of Britain ...
parish church
A parish church (or parochial church) in Christianity is the church which acts as the religious centre of a parish. In many parts of the world, especially in rural areas, the parish church may play a significant role in community activities, ...
in the archdeaconry of Leeds and the
Diocese of Leeds. The church consists of two structures, an outer church constructed in the 14th and 15th century and ruined in the
English Civil War
The English Civil War (1642–1651) was a series of civil wars and political machinations between Parliamentarians (" Roundheads") and Royalists led by Charles I ("Cavaliers"), mainly over the manner of England's governance and issues of re ...
and a smaller inner church completed in the late 1960s. The church has been
Grade II* listed
In the United Kingdom, a listed building or listed structure is one that has been placed on one of the four statutory lists maintained by Historic England in England, Historic Environment Scotland in Scotland, in Wales, and the Northern Irel ...
since 29 July 1950. The church is one of two Anglican churches in the town centre; the other being
St Giles'.
History
The outer structure dates from the 14th and 15th century. The church was held by the
Royalists
A royalist supports a particular monarch as head of state for a particular kingdom, or of a particular dynastic claim. In the abstract, this position is royalism. It is distinct from monarchism, which advocates a monarchical system of governm ...
at the beginning of the
English Civil War
The English Civil War (1642–1651) was a series of civil wars and political machinations between Parliamentarians (" Roundheads") and Royalists led by Charles I ("Cavaliers"), mainly over the manner of England's governance and issues of re ...
; in December 1644 the
Parliamentarians besieged the church which was held by the Royalists armed with 11 cannons. In the siege by Parliamentarians, the church suffered extensive damage with 60 18lb cannonballs being fired in one day from Monkhill. In June 1645, the church now under the occupation of Parliamentarians was besieged by Royalists who occupied
Pontefract Castle
Pontefract (or Pomfret) Castle is a castle ruin in the town of Pontefract, in West Yorkshire, England. King Richard II is thought to have died there. It was the site of a series of famous sieges during the 17th-century English Civil War ...
. In defending the church the Parliamentarians made defenses within the already ruined church and pillaged the church of its materials. By 1649 the church roof had been completely removed.
Architectural style
Exterior
14th- and 15th-century outer church
The outer church is of 14th- and 15th-century origins and is largely ruinous. Alterations were made to the ruins in 1838. The outer church is of a cruciform plan; built of Ashlar sandstone with some rendering. The ruined nave with north and south porches contains the newer structure. The ruined structure has an octagonal tower added in the 18th century. There is a heavily ruined aisled chancel with a 19th-century inserted sanctuary. The south aisle of the nave has four bays with a porch in the second. The nave has a south
clerestory
In architecture, a clerestory ( ; , also clearstory, clearstorey, or overstorey) is a high section of wall that contains windows above eye level. Its purpose is to admit light, fresh air, or both.
Historically, ''clerestory'' denoted an upper l ...
with four windows of twin trefoiled lights with a continuous
hoodmould
In architecture, a hood mould, hood, label mould (from Latin ''labia'', lip), drip mould or dripstone, is an external moulded projection from a wall over an opening to throw off rainwater, historically often in form of a ''pediment''. This mouldin ...
. The west end of the nave is buttressed flank with a four-centred arched doorway. The North nave is as the south with a two-storey porch in the second bay. The central tower has paired windows each with two trefoiled lights with a quatrefoil in the arch and hoodmoulds. The tower has a clock face
in an ogee crocketed canopy.
20th-century inner church
The inner church was completed in 1967 to a design by
George Pace
George Gaze Pace, (31 December 1915 – 23 August 1975) was an English architect who specialised in ecclesiastical works.
He was trained in London, and served in the army, before being appointed as surveyor to a number of cathedrals. M ...
.
It is of brick construction with a pitched roof. The front is adorned with five medieval heads.
Interior
14th- and 15th-century outer church
The nave has arcades with octagonal piers and pointed arches. The nave is built over with the 1967 church obscuring much of the floor plan.
20th-century inner church
The inner church was completed in 1967; it contained Victorian pews, which have since been replaced. The south chancel aisle has an ogee-headed tomb niche. The north and south walls have offset windows and the roof skylights, positioned so not to be obscured by the ruins of the outer church. The walls are whitewashed. There is a mezzanine above the entrance with a pipe organ positioned on top. There is an octagonal stone font.
Location and access
The church is located on North Baileygate; separated from the town centre by Pontefract Castle which lies to the west. The closest railway station is
Pontefract Monkhill
Pontefract Monkhill railway station is the busiest station in the town of Pontefract, West Yorkshire, England. The station is on the Pontefract Line managed by Northern (train operating company), Northern but is also served by Grand Central (tr ...
which is situated around a quarter of a mile from the church.
See also
*
Grade II* listed buildings in West Yorkshire
The county of West Yorkshire is divided into five Metropolitan Boroughs. The metropolitan boroughs of West Yorkshire are Leeds, Wakefield, Kirklees, Calderdale and Bradford.
As there are 413 Grade II* listed buildings in the county they have ...
*
Listed buildings in Pontefract
Listed may refer to:
* Listed, Bornholm, a fishing village on the Danish island of Bornholm
* Listed (MMM program), a television show on MuchMoreMusic
* Endangered species in biology
* Listed building, in architecture, designation of a historical ...
*
St George in the East
St George-in-the-East is an Anglican Church dedicated to Saint George and one of six Hawksmoor churches in London, England. It was built from 1714 to 1729, with funding from the 1711 Act of Parliament. Its name has been used for two forms of p ...
- a London church ruined in the Blitz, with a modern church constructed within
References
External links
A Church Near You - All Saints' Pontefract* {{Official, https://www.allsaintschurchpontefract.org.uk/
Churches in Pontefract
Listed buildings in Pontefract
Anglican Diocese of Leeds
Church of England church buildings in West Yorkshire
Grade II* listed churches in West Yorkshire