All Saints' is a church on

Jesus Lane Jesus Lane is a street in central Cambridge, England. Also located on Jesus Lane are Wesley House, Methodist theological college (or seminary), on the north side and Westcott House, a Church of England theological college, on the south side ...

in central

Cambridge Cambridge ( ) is a College town, university city and the county town in Cambridgeshire, England. It is located on the River Cam approximately north of London. As of the 2021 United Kingdom census, the population of Cambridge was 145,700. Cam ...

, England, which was built by the architect

George Frederick Bodley George Frederick Bodley (14 March 182721 October 1907) was an English Gothic Revival architect. He was a pupil of Sir George Gilbert Scott, and worked in partnership with Thomas Garner for much of his career. He was one of the founders of Watt ...

. The church was constructed in stages between 1863 and 1870 and is a notable example of English Gothic Revival style. It was designated Grade I

listed building 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 ...

status in 1950. It was vested in the

Churches Conservation Trust The Churches Conservation Trust is a registered charity whose purpose is to protect historic churches at risk in England. The charity cares for over 350 churches of architectural, cultural and historic significance, which have been transferred in ...

in 1981. Opening times vary and visitors should contact the Churches Conservation Trust to confirm current arrangements.

History

All Saints in the Jewry

A mediæval church stood in St John's Street, Cambridge. This was known as All Saints in the Jewry, and previously as All Saints by the Hospital (due to its proximity to the Hospital of St John the Evangelist). This was to distinguish it from the other All Saints' Church in Cambridge at the time, All Saints by the Castle, now demolished. By the 13th century, the church was in the patronage of St Radegund's Nunnery, later re-established as Jesus College. The church was rebuilt several times but by the nineteenth century was deemed too small for the growing congregation, being able to accommodate less than 400 of the 1,400 people of the parish. Consisting of

box pew A box pew is a type of church pew that is encased in panelling and was prevalent in England and other Protestant countries from the 16th to early 19th centuries. History in England Before the rise of Protestantism, seating was not customary in ch ...

s, for which there was a levy, the poor were doubly excluded. A plot of land in

was donated by Jesus College and the new building was erected at its junction with Manor Road. The old church was demolished in 1865. The churchyard of the original church is now an open space known as All Saints' Garden and contains a memorial cross designed by

Basil Champneys Basil Champneys (17 September 1842 – 5 April 1935) was an English architect and author whose most notable buildings include Manchester's John Rylands Library, Somerville College Library (Oxford), Newnham College, Cambridge, Lady Margaret Hal ...

in 1882.

Cross, All Saints Garden, Cambridge, England - IMG 0669

A new church

Although it was initially hoped that George Gilbert Scott would design the new church. G. F. Bodley who had been Scott's talented pupil (and was later a founder of Watts & Co.), was chosen. The foundation stone was laid on 27 May 1863 and the church was consecrated on 30 November 1864. Between 1869 and 1871 the present tower and spire were added, with St Oswald's Church, Ashbourne, Derbyshire, used as the model. The final ornament was a

weather vane A wind vane, weather vane, or weathercock is an instrument used for showing the direction of the wind. It is typically used as an architectural ornament to the highest point of a building. The word ''vane'' comes from the Old English word , m ...

, donated by the Vice-Chancellor of the University of Cambridge, and fixed in place by the priest and author Herbert Mortimer Luckock, later

Dean of Lichfield The Dean of Lichfield is the head (''primus inter pares'' – first among equals) and chair of the chapter of canons, the ruling body of Lichfield Cathedral. The dean and chapter are based at the ''Cathedral Church of the Blessed Virgin Mary and S ...

. The author and academic

A. C. Bouquet Alan Coates Bouquet (24 May 1884 – 4 March 1976) was a minister in the Anglicanism, Anglican church, a Theology, theologian and Recognised Lecturer in the History and Comparative Study of Religions at the University of Cambridge and a prolif ...

was the parish priest from 1923 to 1945. As early as the 1920s, All Saints' was already being considered for redundancy by the Church of England. With better social housing in the city, many of the parish's residents had relocated causing the congregation of the church to drop rapidly. This was further aided by the purchase of other larger residences by University colleges whose students did not need a non-collegiate church in which to worship. The final vicar was installed in 1945 and, upon his retirement, services ceased in July 1973. It lay redundant for several years and fell into disrepair, during which time plans to demolish part of the building arose. These were abandoned in 1981. Today the church is available to hire for a wide range of events.

Architecture

The church's spire is a prominent Cambridge landmark. At around in height it was, at its construction, the tallest building in the city; it remains the city's third tallest building, after the chimney of

Addenbrooke's Hospital Addenbrooke's Hospital is an internationally renowned large teaching hospital and research centre in Cambridge, England, with strong affiliations to the University of Cambridge. Addenbrooke's Hospital is based on the Cambridge Biomedical Camp ...

and

Our Lady and the English Martyrs Church The Church of Our Lady of the Assumption and the English Martyrs, also known as the Church of Our Lady and the English Martyrs (OLEM), is an English Roman Catholic parish church located at the junction of Hills Road and Lensfield Road in southeas ...

. It is constructed from brick as well as Ancaster and Casterton stone. The church was built from a second series of designs and in an early 14th-century style. It consists of a

nave The nave () is the central part of a church, stretching from the (normally western) main entrance or rear wall, to the transepts, or in a church without transepts, to the chancel. When a church contains side aisles, as in a basilica-type ...

, large south

aisle An aisle is, in general, a space for walking with rows of non-walking spaces on both sides. Aisles with seating on both sides can be seen in airplanes, certain types of buildings, such as churches, cathedrals, synagogues, meeting halls, par ...

which extends almost to the easternmost wall, a

chancel In church architecture, the chancel is the space around the altar, including the choir and the sanctuary (sometimes called the presbytery), at the liturgical east end of a traditional Christian church building. It may terminate in an apse. Ov ...

and

vestry A vestry was a committee for the local secular and ecclesiastical government for a parish in England, Wales and some English colonies which originally met in the vestry or sacristy of the parish church, and consequently became known colloquiall ...

. The exterior is decorated with

gargoyle In architecture, and specifically Gothic architecture, a gargoyle () is a carved or formed grotesque with a spout designed to convey water from a roof and away from the side of a building, thereby preventing it from running down masonry walls ...

s and the spire has decorative

lucarne In general architecture a lucarne is a term used to describe a dormer window. The original term french: lucarne refers to a dormer window, usually set into the middle of a roof although it can also apply to a façade lucarne, where the gable of t ...

openings.

Interior

The church is noted for its strikingly decorated interior, much of it to designs by Bodley. Fittings by Bodley include the

alabaster Alabaster is a mineral or rock that is soft, often used for carving, and is processed for plaster powder. Archaeologists and the stone processing industry use the word differently from geologists. The former use it in a wider sense that include ...

font, the pulpit, south aisle screen, textiles, pews, candlesticks and tiles. The rood screen was designed in 1904 by John Morley, architect at Rattee & Kett of Cambridge. Its function was not purely liturgical as its cornice hid a large support beam which had been added to bolster the chancel arch from the massive weight of the spire. The wall and ceiling decorations were applied by F. R. Leach & Sons and form complex, bold stencilled patterns throughout the church. As well as exotic floral friezes there is much use of religious symbolism such as the Sacred Monogram and the

Fleur-de-lis The fleur-de-lis, also spelled fleur-de-lys (plural ''fleurs-de-lis'' or ''fleurs-de-lys''), is a lily (in French, and mean 'flower' and 'lily' respectively) that is used as a decorative design or symbol. The fleur-de-lis has been used in the ...

. Around the upper walls are texts from the

Book of Revelation The Book of Revelation is the final book of the New Testament (and consequently the final book of the Christian Bible). Its title is derived from the first word of the Koine Greek text: , meaning "unveiling" or "revelation". The Book of ...

() and

Psalms The Book of Psalms ( or ; he, תְּהִלִּים, , lit. "praises"), also known as the Psalms, or the Psalter, is the first book of the ("Writings"), the third section of the Tanakh, and a book of the Old Testament. The title is derived ...

in the south aisle, and the Beatitudes () in the nave. Part of the Beatitudes have been lost due to water damage to the plaster. One of the team of artists was David Parr who decorated his own house in a similar style and with similar designs. David Parr House on Gwydir Street has been restored and is open to the public. The east window was designed by

Edward Burne-Jones Sir Edward Coley Burne-Jones, 1st Baronet, (; 28 August, 183317 June, 1898) was a British painter and designer associated with the Pre-Raphaelite Brotherhood which included Dante Gabriel Rossetti, John Millais, Ford Madox Brown and Holman ...

and executed by

Morris & Co Morris, Marshall, Faulkner & Co. (1861–1875) was a furnishings and decorative arts manufacturer and retailer founded by the artist and designer William Morris with friends from the Pre-Raphaelites. With its successor Morris & Co. (1875–194 ...

. It was installed in 1866 as a memorial to Lady Affleck, wife of

William Whewell William Whewell ( ; 24 May 17946 March 1866) was an English polymath, scientist, Anglican priest, philosopher, theologian, and historian of science. He was Master of Trinity College, Cambridge. In his time as a student there, he achieved ...

, master of

Trinity College, Cambridge Trinity College is a constituent college of the University of Cambridge. Founded in 1546 by King Henry VIII, Trinity is one of the largest Cambridge colleges, with the largest financial endowment of any college at either Cambridge or Oxford. ...

. She had lain the foundation stone of the church in 1863 and also donated £1,000 to its construction. The twenty figures, over four rows, were individually designed by Burne-Jones (12 panes),

Ford Madox Brown Ford Madox Brown (16 April 1821 – 6 October 1893) was a British painter of moral and historical subjects, notable for his distinctively graphic and often Hogarthian version of the Pre-Raphaelite style. Arguably, his most notable painti ...

(4 panes) and

William Morris William Morris (24 March 1834 – 3 October 1896) was a British textile designer, poet, artist, novelist, architectural conservationist, printer, translator and socialist activist associated with the British Arts and Crafts Movement. He ...

(4 panes). The diagonal lettering and oak leaf borders were designed by

Philip Webb Philip Speakman Webb (12 January 1831 – 17 April 1915) was a British architect and designer sometimes called the Father of Arts and Crafts Architecture. His use of vernacular architecture demonstrated his commitment to "the art of commo ...

. It is most notable for its high proportion of pale, silver-tint glass, which is believed to be a rebellion against the dark, rich colours prevalent in stained glass of the time and it allows much-needed light into the chancel. In the north wall of the nave are three windows by

Charles Eamer Kempe Charles Eamer Kempe (29 June 1837 – 29 April 1907) was a British Victorian era designer and manufacturer of stained glass. His studios produced over 4,000 windows and also designs for altars and altar frontals, furniture and furnishings, lich ...

and one by

Douglas Strachan Douglas Strachan (26 May 1875, Aberdeen, Scotland – 20 November 1950) is considered the most significant Scottish designer of stained glass windows in the 20th century. He is best known for his windows at the Peace Palace in The Hague, Netherl ...

installed in 1944 which features depictions of

Elizabeth Fry Elizabeth Fry (née Gurney; 21 May 1780 – 12 October 1845), sometimes referred to as Betsy Fry, was an English prison reformer, social reformer, philanthropist and Quaker. Fry was a major driving force behind new legislation to improve the tr ...

Josephine Butler Josephine Elizabeth Butler (' Grey; 13 April 1828 – 30 December 1906) was an English feminist and social reformer in the Victorian era. She campaigned for women's suffrage, the right of women to better education, the end of coverture ...

Edith Cavell Edith Louisa Cavell ( ; 4 December 1865 – 12 October 1915) was a British nurse. She is celebrated for saving the lives of soldiers from both sides without discrimination and for helping some 200 Allied soldiers escape from German-occupied Be ...

and Mother Cecile Isherwood. There are also two south aisle windows, one by Ward & Hughes and the other by Philip Webb with possible additions by F. R. Leach. High in the west end window are two angels - a sun bearer and a moon bearer designed and produced by William Morris.

2021 and Beyond

In October 2021 a new collaboration between the

an
The Arts Society Cambridge
saw the introduction of a regular programme of events at All Saints'. Beginning with October Fest, a series of five Sunday lunchtime recitals, Music At All Saints' has attracted a loyal audience. These concerts present innovative and diverse combinations of instruments and repertoire and have been host to three world premiere performances. They continue monthly on the first Sunday of the month. Other projects in 2022 include FABULATION, an art exhibition inspired by the interior decoration of the church and created by Jennifer Campbell, Toby Upson, Cathy Lomax and Luke Burton. Also a live performance of ghost stories by

M. R. James Montague Rhodes James (1 August 1862 – 12 June 1936) was an English author, medievalist scholar and provost of King's College, Cambridge (1905–1918), and of Eton College (1918–1936). He was Vice-Chancellor of the University of Cambrid ...

with Robert Lloyd Parry, an Autumn exhibition on the textiles of the church and a traditional magic show. Money raised from ticketed events goes to support restoration of the interior lighting, and equip the church with toilet facilities and running water. The external appearance of the church is maintained by a small group of volunteers in collaboration with Cambridge City Council. A website fo
The Painted Church is now online here
In July 2023 the volunteers will mark the 50th anniversary of the last service to be held at the church by highlighting the efforts it took to rescue All Saints' from demoltion as well as celebrating its optimistic future. Professional artists Sophie Michael and Andrew Munks will stage a brand new exhibition in March/April 2023. The church will also celebrate the coronation of King Charles III and take part in Heritage Open Days/Open Cambridge as well as a third October Fest.

Gallery

File:All Saints' Church, Jesus Lane from the east.jpg, All Saints' Church from the eastern end of Jesus Lane File:All Saints Church, Jesus Lane, Cambridge - Nave & South Aisle.jpg, Nave, arcade and south aisle File:All Saints' Church, Jesus Lane - Chancel arch & rood screen.jpg, Chancel arch with painting of "Christ in Majesty" by Wyndham Hope Hughes File:All Saints' Church, Jesus Lane, Cambridge - South aisle wall decorations.jpg, Bodley's designs in the SE corner of the south aisle File:All Saints' Church, Jesus Lane, Cambridge - Altar.jpg, The altar File:All Saints' Church, Jesus Lane, Cambridge - South aisle.jpg, South aisle, looking east File:All Saints' Church, Cambridge - Judas Maccabeus stained glass.jpg, Judas Maccabeus by

from the east window by Morris, Marshall, Faulkner & Co. File:All Saints' Church, Jesus Lane, Cambridge - 'Womanhood' window by Douglas Strachan.jpg, The 'Womanhood' window by Douglas Strachan in the NW nave File:George Frederick Bodley00.jpg,

George Bodley George Frederick Bodley (14 March 182721 October 1907) was an English Gothic Revival architect. He was a pupil of Sir George Gilbert Scott, and worked in partnership with Thomas Garner for much of his career. He was one of the founders of Watt ...

, architect of All Saints' File:Border design, All Saints' Church, Cambridge.jpg, Nave stencilling by F. R. Leach & Sons File:Forster & Andrews Organ, All Saints' Church, Cambridge.jpg, Forster & Andrews organ of 1864 File:South Aisle, All Saints' Church, Cambridge.jpg, South aisle File:All Saints' Church, Jesus Lane - Tower canopy & chancel wall decorations.jpg, Chancel canopy, wall decorations & chandelier File:All Saints' Church, Jesus Lane from Belmont Place.jpg, All Saints' with the rear of the neighbouring

terraces

References

External links

The Painted Church
- The new website of All Saints', Jesus Lane

- Churches Conservation Trust website
David Parr House
- David Parr House website
Eventbrite
- Ticket website for events at All Saints' Church {{DEFAULTSORT:Cambridge, All Saints' Church

All Saints' All Saints' Day, also known as All Hallows' Day, the Feast of All Saints, the Feast of All Hallows, the Solemnity of All Saints, and Hallowmas, is a Christian solemnity celebrated in honour of all the saints of the church, whether they are kn ...

19th-century Church of England church buildings Churches completed in 1870 Churches preserved by the Churches Conservation Trust George Frederick Bodley church buildings Gothic Revival architecture in Cambridgeshire Gothic Revival church buildings in England

All Saints' Church All Saints Church, or All Saints' Church or variations on the name may refer to: Albania *All Saints' Church, Himarë Australia * All Saints Church, Canberra, Australian Capital Territory * All Saints Anglican Church, Henley Brook, Western Aust ...

Grade I listed churches in Cambridgeshire