All Saints Church, Leamington Spa

All Saints' Church is the parish church for Leamington Spa town centre, England.

All Saints' Parish Church, Leamington Spa
All Saints' Parish Church, Leamington Spa
DenominationChurch of England
ChurchmanshipLiberal Anglo-Catholicism
Websitewww.allsaintschurchleamington.org.uk
History
DedicationAll Saints
Administration
ParishLeamington Priors
ProvinceCanterbury
Clergy
Vicar(s)Fr Christopher Wilson Mus B (Hons) MTh (Oxon)
AssistantRevd Anne Morris
Laity
Director of musicSuzie Green, Alex Silverman
Organist(s)Christopher Beaumont

Background

Built in the Gothic Revival style in the 19th century, it has been described as "one of the largest Church of England parish churches, rivaling many cathedrals in size."[1] It is located in the centre of the town, just south of the River Leam in what was the old core of the town.

History

The Domesday Book of 1086 reports that there was a priest present in "Lamintone", (an old name for Leamington) although there is no specific mention of a church. The earliest record of one was from the 12th century when Leamington was still a tiny hamlet in the parish of Leek Wootton.[2] A west tower was added in the 14th century whilst a south porch was put added in the 18th.[3] The first spring (of many that made Leamington famous) was located just outside the main entrance of the church of land owned by the Earl of Aylesford.

It was however in 1843 that the church began to take its current form and shape.[4] By this time the church was no longer in open fields just to the north of a hamlet, but was in the centre of a bustling spa town. (Two of Leamington's town founders, Benjamin Satchwell and William Abbotts, are buried in the churchyard.)

The main construction took place between 1843 and 1869, overseen and largely funded by vicar John Craig.[5] Designs were drawn up by architect J.G. Jackson of Leamington, but Craig is reported to have been largely his own architect.[6]

In 1867 the south transept was added by the architect TC Barry.[7]

The last major works to take place to the church, after Craig's death, were from 1898–1902 by the architect Sir Arthur Blomfield, when two western bays to the nave and a south western bell tower were added.[8] The seating capacity was increased to around 2000. From September 2007 to February 2008 the church precincts were redeveloped and a new sculpture, entitled 'Spring', was installed on the site of the original Leamington spa spring.

The church today

The church remains in active use as a place of worship, with Sunday and other major services accompanied by the surpliced choir.[9] Despite the fragmentation of its parish during the 19th century, All Saints is still known and used as Leamington's Parish Church. The church hosts and promotes organ recitals and concerts,[10] as well as the annual All Saints' Arts Festival.[11] It also runs a group for LGBTQIA+ Christians called LGBTXians.[12]

Vicars of Leamington from 1823

Directors of Music
  • Peter Smith
  • Simon Tayton
  • Bea van der Kaaij
  • Julian Parkin 2008 – 2013
  • David Williams, FRCO 2013 – 2014
  • Simon Lawford, BA, MA, FRCO 2014
  • Richard Cook, BA 2014
  • Simon Tayton, BA, MSc, FCMI 2014 – 2017
  • Suzanne Green, BA, MA 2018 –

Organ

The church has a pipe organ by William Hill & Sons dating from 1879. There have been subsequent rebuilds by Hill, Norman and Beard in 1926, and Longstaff & Jones in 1981. The organ is described in the National Pipe Organ Register.[13]

List of organists
  • Henry T Elliston 1820
  • Henry Matthews 1864
  • Thomas Bladon 1876
  • Frank Spinney, FCO 1878
  • Walter Spinney 1888
  • W H Bellamy 1894
  • Lionel Wiggins, Hon RCM FRCO ARCM 1922
  • Robert Dickinson, BMus FRCO LRAM 1951
  • Hugh Large, FRCO ARCM 1956
  • Neil Wade, ARCM, ARCO 1964
  • Graham Steed, BMus FRCO 1965
  • Alan Jones 1967
  • Derrick Stiff 1968
  • Keith Sedgebeer, BA 1970
  • David M Palmer 1972
  • Robert E Munns, FRAM, ARCO, ARCM 1983
  • John Wilks, BA BMus FRCO 1987
  • Colin Druce, GBSM FRCO ARCM 1988
  • Sean Montgomery, ARCO 1998
  • Jeremy Meager, ARCO 2007
  • Cynthia Hall, MA FRCO 2009
  • David Williams, FRCO 2012
  • Christopher Beaumont, MA LTCL 2019

References
  1. "Some information on the church from Warwickshire County Council". Archived from the original on 17 May 2011. Retrieved 14 March 2008.
  2. "A Warwickshire churches history page". Archived from the original on 24 February 2008. Retrieved 14 March 2008.
  3. History of Leamington on british-history.ac.uk
  4. "Information from Warwick District Council" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on 16 October 2005. Retrieved 14 March 2008.
  5. "Nostalgia: The Leamington priest who built a church". The Courier. 29 April 2015. Retrieved 16 September 2020.
  6. "Information for record number MWA1388: Church of All Saints, Leamington Spa". Timetrail. Warwickshire County Council. Retrieved 16 September 2020.
  7. Historic England (30 November 1999) [19 Nov 1953]. "Church of All Saints, Bath Street  (Grade II*) (1381145)". National Heritage List for England. Retrieved 16 September 2020.
  8. Info from A Church Near You website
  9. "Choir". All Saints Church Leamington. Retrieved 23 September 2020.
  10. "What's On". All Saints Church Leamington. Archived from the original on 5 November 2018. Retrieved 23 September 2020.
  11. "All Saints Arts Festival 2013". All Saints Church Leamington. Archived from the original on 16 June 2018. Retrieved 23 September 2020.
  12. "LGBTXians". All Saints Church Leamington. Retrieved 23 September 2020.
  13. National Pipe Organ Register

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