All Saints' Church Northampton


History of the Church
	A brief history about All Saints' Church and King Charles II. You can also read about the Consistory Court.
People of All Saints
	Past vicars, John Bales and a short piece about the Northamptonshire Pastoral poet, John Clare.
	The Reverend Simon Godfrey
		The Reverend Simon Godfrey takes up the position of Chancellor in his new placement.
The American Connection
	An explanation of our connection to early settlers of Virginia and New England.
Ring of Ten Bells
	A brief history about the church bells and their current Company of Bell Ringers.
Thomas Dawes Dial Clock
	The history of Thomas Dawes and his dial clock.
Gallery Organ
	Information about the Walker & Sons Ltd. Gallery Organ.
Chancel Organ
	Information about the Hill & Son and Norman & Beard Chancel Organ.
Chapel Organ
	Information about the J. W. Walker & Sons Ltd. Chapel Organ.

There has always been a church on the site of All Saints' since Norman times, although All Hallows, as it was then, was not the 'Mother Church' of the ancient settlement. The church we see today, however, is that built after the Great Fire of Northampton in 1675.

After the fire, a parliamentary commission was formed to rebuild the historic church and indeed the settlement. The Parliamentarian leanings of Northampton had resulted in the razing of the castle by King Charles II after his invitation to reclaim the throne in 1660. Despite this, the Earl of Northampton, a friend and confidant of the King, persuaded Charles II to contribute 1000 tons of timber from the Royal forests of Salcey and Rockingham. Such a magnanimous gesture, together with the repeal of the 'chimney tax' endeared the King to the people of Northamptonshire. As a result, they and others throughout the country, contributed to the

rebuilding fund. A statue of the King by John Hunt was erected on the portico parapet in 1712 in memory and thanksgiving for his part in the rebuilding. Underneath the statue is the following text:

This Statue was erected in memory of King Charles II who gave a thousand tun of timber towards the rebuilding of this church and to this town seven years chimney money collected in it.

The current floor plan of All Saints' Church reveals much about the history of the building itself. The original church was twice the length of the present building. Only the tower & crypt under the chancel survived the fire.

The Portico design is a copy of the Inigo Jones portico of Old St. Pauls, London. The statue of King Charles II adorns the parapet. The Memorial, or Lady Chapel was the last substantial addition to the building, added in the 1920s in memory of those who lost their lives in the World War I.

A recently carved statue of Our Lady of Walsingham adorns the chapel.

We are are one of the few Parish Church in the country to have a Consistory (Ecclesiastical) Court. Consistory Courts were established by a charter of King William I, and still exist today, although since about the middle of the 19th century consistory courts have lost much of their subject-matter jurisdiction. Each diocese in the Church of England has a consistory court.

Today, the principal business of Consistory Courts is now the dispensing of faculties dealing with churchyards and church property, although they also hear the trial of clergy (below the rank of bishop) accused of immoral acts or misconduct (under the Clergy Discipline Act 1892). The Court is located on the North side of the building, having previously been located in the space now occupied by the Coffee Shop.

You can find out more about Consistory Courts by visiting the Consistory Court Wikipedia Page.