Church of All Saints, Walsoken

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Described by Pevsner as ‘the grandest Norman Parish Church in Norfolk.’ Has Norman nave arcade, seven sacrament font, C15 wall painting and angel roof and medieval carved poppy head pew ends.

Church of All Saints, Walsoken

All Saints' Church in Walsoken is a Grade 1 Listed Building and consists of a nave with south and north aisles, chancel with south and north chapels, and a porch in the south. The nave and chancel are both late Norman and date from c.1146. Above the chancel arch is a 15th-century carving of King David with harp. This church is crowned by a prominent west tower with four turrets and a spire which dates from the medieval period. To the base of the tower is the rounded Norman west doorway. The interior of the church has massive Norman arcades which are rich with zigzag moulding decoration. An arch in the chancel is supported on carved banded shafts. On one side is the 15th-century doorway to the old rood loft. The nave roof has painted angels and other figures in delicately canopied niches. There are 15th-century screens in both aisles, one with most intricate tracery, stalls with carved heads, battered figures on old benches, and over the tower arch two paintings of the judgement of Solomon with a statue of a king enthroned between them. The Seven Sacrament font is mote than 400 years old. This pre-Reformation font is decorated with sculptures of the crucifixion and seven sacraments (these are; Baptism, Confession, Confirmation, Last Rites, Mass, Matrimony and Ordination), eight saints under rich canopies (these are; Catherine, Paul, John, Magdala, Steven, Margaret, Peter and Dorothea), and round the base this inscription to those friends of the church who gave it: "Remember the souls of S. Honyter and Margaret his wife, and John Benforth, Chaplain 1544". There are several later window insertions throughout. The church's bell tower has six bells made by Thomas Osborn in Downham Market in 1795. Originally, the bells were hung in a frame adjacent to the louvres in the tower. The bells were restored and re-hung in 1901 by the children of Richard Young M.P. for North Cambridgeshire and further work was undertaken in 1956 when the bells were re-hung in a lower position in the tower in an eight bell metal frame.

The remains of a standing stone cross located within the churchyard of All Saints Church, approximately 4 metres to the south of the priest's door and 8 metres to the south east of the south porch of the church. The cross, which is Listed Grade II, is medieval in date and includes the base plinth, the socket stone and the lower part of the shaft. The base plinth, which is set into the ground diagonally to the church, measures 1.1 metres north west-south east by 0.92 metres north south east. Church has three piscinas. The first piscina on the entrance where the Catholic stoop would traditionally be positioned. The second piscina is in the Nave towards the Chancel. The third piscina is in the meeting room.

Slide to the right to see how it looked in the past!
Site Information
Opening Times:
May - September 10am-3pm; Other times key arrangements in porch
Website:
Address:
Church Road, Walsoken, Wisbech, PE13 3RA, Cambridgeshire
Visitor Information
Parking
Yes
Refreshments (nearby)
Yes
Disabled access
Yes
Toilets
Yes
Features
Architecture
Atmosphere
Churchyard
Interior features
Stained glass
Nearby Attractions
Attraction 1:
Church of St Mary the Virgin, West Walton
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1.78 Miles Away
Unusually for English Parish churches, the campanile at West Walton stands 64ft to the south of the church. It was built in its entirety in about 1250, after completion of the main body of the church and is one of the most elegant and accomplished early Gothic structures in England. The tower has recently been restored by The Churches Conservation Trust. It contains the original 13th century bell-frame and five bells that are no longer rung because of the decayed state of the timber that supports them.
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Attraction 2:
Church of St Peter & St Paul, Walpole St Peter
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4.23 Miles Away
Walpole St. Peter's Church is simply a fenland village parish church, but its beauty has so stunned visitors that it has been called the Queen of the Marshlands and Cathedral of The Fens.
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Attraction 3:
Church of St Clements, Outwell
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4.83 Miles Away
A largely 14th century church containing a 13th century tower and nave west wall. The church underwent a thorough remodeling in the 15th and 16th century. Also included under this listing is an 18th century table tomb.
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Attraction 4:
Church of St John the Baptist, Terrington St John
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5.07 Miles Away
This church has been a place of prayer and worship for nearly 600 years and it is hoped that visitors will enjoy the tranquil atmosphere. The present Church was begun in 1423 to replace two earlier buildings, one of which was dedicated to St James. It is assumed that the present site of the church was formerly known by this name and possibly refers to a pilgrim cross marking the route to the Shrine at Walsingham.
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Attraction 5:
Church of St Peters, Upwell
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5.13 Miles Away
The significant architectural features of the church building include the 13th century carved wooden angels, the 15th century stone font and the stained glass window installed in 1912. The church also has what is believed to be the largest coat of arms in Norfolk and a working set of bells in the tower, which are still played regularly.
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