All Saints' parish church, Houghton Conquest, Beds - geograph

Church of All Saints is a

Grade I 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 ...

church in Houghton Conquest,

Bedfordshire Bedfordshire (; abbreviated Beds) is a ceremonial county in the East of England. The county has been administered by three unitary authorities, Borough of Bedford, Central Bedfordshire and Borough of Luton, since Bedfordshire County Council wa ...

, England. It became a listed building on 23 January 1961. The

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, ...

, dedicated to All Saints, was built during the 14th century. There are also several monuments. Houghton Conquest's rectory was united with that of Houghton-Gildable in 1637, in the

archdeacon An archdeacon is a senior clergy position in the Church of the East, Chaldean Catholic Church, Syriac Orthodox Church, Anglican Communion, St Thomas Christians, Eastern Orthodox churches and some other Christian denominations, above that o ...

ry of Bedford, and diocese of Lincoln. It was under the patronage of the Master and Fellows of

St John's College, Cambridge St John's College is a Colleges of the University of Cambridge, constituent college of the University of Cambridge founded by the House of Tudor, Tudor matriarch Lady Margaret Beaufort. In constitutional terms, the college is a charitable corpo ...

. On 4 October 2018 it was reported that the entire lead roof had been stolen.

Architecture and fittings

The church is spacious, built in the

Early English Period English Gothic is an architectural style that flourished from the late 12th until the mid-17th century. The style was most prominently used in the construction of cathedrals and churches. Gothic architecture's defining features are pointed ...

and Decorated styles. It consists of chancel, nave, aisles, south porch, and an embattled tower containing six bells. It was repaired in 1845. The stained glass east window, erected in 1880 by

John William Burgon John William Burgon (21 August 18134 August 1888) was an English Anglican divine who became the Dean of Chichester Cathedral in 1876. He was known during his lifetime for his poetry and his defence of the historicity and Mosaic authorship of Gen ...

, Dean of Chichester, is a memorial to three benefactors. Built in 1830, some of the walls bear traces of frescoes, the designs of which are in some parts sufficiently distinct to be distinguished. Over the north doorway is a huge painting of

St Christopher Saint Christopher ( el, Ἅγιος Χριστόφορος, ''Ágios Christóphoros'') is venerated by several Christian denominations as a martyr killed in the reign of the 3rd-century Roman emperor Decius (reigned 249–251) or alternatively u ...

, of the 15th century. On the north walls of the chancel, there is a monument of carved alabaster. There is also an altar slab from 1644, as well as a few mutilated brasses. The register dates from the year 1595.

Rectors

The following rectors are named in ''The History of All Saints Church Houghton Conquest'', by G. P. K. Winlaw, and other sources as cited: * before 1285: William de Lubenham * 1285: Geoffrey Conquest * 1303: Robert de Suddebrok * 1306: Robert de Morecore * 1312: John de la Bourne * 1323: John Speling of Kerdington * 1323: Simon de Northwode * 1331: William de Gayton * 1337: William Conquest * 1337: John Conquest * 1349: Henry Balle of Aldwyncle * 1366: Geoffrey Burgh * 1399: John Drugge of Kerdington * 1403: John Jainyil * 1409: John Mason, The Vicar of

Ampthill Ampthill () is a town and civil parish in Bedfordshire, England, between Bedford and Luton, with a population estimate of 8,100 (Mid year estimate 2017 from the ONS). It is administered bAmpthill Town Council The ward of Ampthill which also i ...

* 1409: William Stewenys (Stephens) * 1409: Ralph Conquest * 1425: W. Gunwardy, The Bishop of Dunkeld * 1451: William Hoveden * 1453: John Freman * 1456: John Cras * 1457: John Dey * 1461: John Tapert * 1461: Thomas Dey * 1461: John Bowland * 1464: Henry Abraham * 1465: William Stanford * 1483: Thomas Yerburgh * 1489: Richard Wright * 1491: John Underhill * 1509: Thomas Hunne * 1510: Humphrey Gascoigne * 1515: William Frankelyn * 1524: Ralph Cooke * 1531: William Coven * 1536: Thomas Birde * 1542: John Oldestocke * 1549: William Tatchame * 1551: William Walker * 1557: John Holdstocke :from other sources: * 1589-1631: Thomas Archer (1554 - 1631), local antiquarian * 1632: Edward Martin (died 1662),''Oxford Dictionary of National Biography'' dean of Ely * 1654: John Poynter (1600–1684), canon of Christ Church Oxford * 1656-1662: Samuel Fairclough (c. 1625 - 1691) ejected 1662 in favour of Edward Martin above (who then died) * 4 April 1725:

Zachary Grey Zachary Grey (6 May 1688 – 1766) was an English priest, controversialist, and conservative spokesman for the Church of England. He was also an editor, commentator on William Shakespeare, and critic of dissenter historians. Life Grey was the ...

(1688 – 1766), and vicar of St Giles's and St Peter's in Cambridge * 1837-1873: Henry John Rose (1800 - 1873), theologian and antiquarian In addition, two other people have been named as rector: * Edward Woodley Bowling, named * Rev. Birch * Herbert W. Macklin

Memorandum relating to the parish of Houghton Conquest in Bedfordshire
First published 1903-1904 in the Houghton Conquest Parish Magazine, Edited by Herbert W. Macklin.

References

* ''This article includes text incorporated from E.R. Kelly's "Kelly's directory of Bedfordshire, Hunts and Northamptonshire." (1885), a publication now in the public domain.'' {{DEFAULTSORT:Houghton Conquest, Church of All Saints Church of England church buildings in Bedfordshire Grade I listed churches in Bedfordshire St John's College, Cambridge

Architecture and fittings

Rectors

See also

References