All Saints’ Church, Hillesden is a Grade I listed

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

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 Britai ...

in Hillesden, Buckinghamshire.

History

The church tower dates from the 15th century. The rest was rebuilt by the monks of

Notley Abbey Notley Abbey was an Augustinian abbey founded in the 12th century near Long Crendon, Buckinghamshire, England. A team from Oxford excavated Notley Abbey in 1937, establishing a layout and timeline of the building's construction. The building ...

starting in 1493. It is built on a cruciform plan with aisles, north porch, chapel to north side of the chancel and an octagonal staircase on the outside of the north side which gives access to a vestry and above it a private chapel. The south porch door was formerly in Hillesden House. It retains the bullet holes from 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 ...

when the village was attacked by Parliamentary Forces. It was restored between 1874 and 1875 by George Gilbert Scott. He had been born in the nearby village of

Gawcott Gawcott is a village about south-west of Buckingham in the Buckinghamshire (district), Buckinghamshire district in the ceremonial county of Buckinghamshire, England. The village is in the civil parishes in England, civil parish of Gawcott with L ...

and this building was one of the inspirations for his interest in Gothic architecture. He restored it for free. It was reopened on 16 June 1875. The roofs were replaced and a ceiling inserted with oak panels and mouldings. The old seats were restored and new ones made to match. The pulpit was remodelled. The screen was restored and installed to separate the chantry from the transepts. The Denton tomb in the chancel was repaired. The stained glass windows were relaid by

Burlison and Grylls Burlison and Grylls is an English company who produced stained glass windows from 1868 onwards. The company of Burlison and Grylls was founded in 1868 at the instigation of the architects George Frederick Bodley and Thomas Garner. Both John Bu ...

and a new window inserted which depicts the story of the parables. It was restored again in the 1960s.

Incumbents

The names of the Minister or Curates from the time of the rebuilding of All Saints in 1493 are not all recorded for the church was appropriated in 1162 to

being served by a Monk or Canon of Notley up to the earliest recorded Curate in 1526. All Saints was administered by the Diocese of Lincoln from records commencing 1902 to 1837, and thereafter by the

Diocese of Oxford The Diocese of Oxford is a Church of England diocese that forms part of the Province of Canterbury. The diocese is led by the Bishop of Oxford (currently Steven Croft), and the bishop's seat is at Christ Church Cathedral, Oxford. It contain ...

. After the Dissolution of the Monasteries, Hillesden was first granted to the Dean and Chapter of Christ Church, Oxford in 1542, and subsequently to the new foundation created by King Henry VIII in 1546. The Vicarage at Hillesden was rebuilt in 1869 and thereafter the ministers of All Saints were styled Vicars.

Parish status

The church is in a joint parish with: *St Cecilia's Church, Adstock *Holy Trinity Church, Gawcott *St Mary the Virgin's Church, Padbury

Stained glass

File:Stained glass in All Saints' Church, Hillesden 01.JPG, Memorial to Frederick James Staley, George Henry Staley, Walter Henry Jeffs, who died in the First World War File:Stained glass in All Saints' Church, Hillesden 02.JPG, The miracles of St Nicholas. Sixteenth century Flemish glass File:Stained glass in All Saints' Church, Hillesden 03.JPG, The parables by

1875 File:Stained glass in All Saints' Church, Hillesden 05.JPG, A bishop

Memorials

*Catharine Denton (d.1733) *Dr William Denton (d. 1691) *George Woodward (d. 1735) *Alexander Denton (d. 1576) *Elizabeth Denton (d. 1667) *Thomas Isham (d. 1676) *

Godfrey Boate Godfrey Boate (1673/1676 - 1722) was an Irish judge: he is mainly remembered now for incurring the enmity of Jonathan Swift, who celebrated Boate's death with the mocking ''Quibbling Elegy on Judge Boat''. Biography He was born in County Tippera ...

(d. 1722) *Mary Rowe, Viscountess of Hillsborough (d. 1742)

Organ

The pipe organ dates from 1970 and was built by George Osmund. A specification of the organ can be found on the National Pipe Organ Register.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Hillesden Church of England church buildings in Buckinghamshire Grade I listed churches in Buckinghamshire