All Saints History

A church at Elton (or Athelniton) is mentioned in the Domesday survey of 1086 and traces of a Saxon building have been found during restoration work, but only two remains are now visible; the wheel crosses by the Tower in the Churchyard and a small head-carving in the North Aisle Vestry. In 1450-60 the Church was practically rebuilt, although the tower was not completed until some 40 years later and then restoration work was undertaken in the 17th century by Sir Robert Cotton who found the Chancel ‘in a ruinous condition ’.

By the end of the 19th century the church of All Saints was once again in need of help and so at this time and at the beginning of the 20th century the last Earl of Carysfort spent large sums of money in repairs and in restoring the churches with which he had a special connection—Elton, Warmington and Yaxley.

The period and styles of architecture represented at Elton are:-

SAXON (before 1066): Two wheel crosses by the north-west corner of the Tower; a finely carved head at the west end of the North Aisle and some foundations under the Chancel.

NORMAN (1066-1200): A fragment at the west end of the Church.

EARLY ENGLISH (1200-1270): The Chancel Arch; some fragments at the west end.

DECORATED (1270-1400): The Chancel, except part of the north side; the Nave; the North Aisle, except the west side.

PERPENDICULAR(1400-1500): The west end of the North Aisle; the South Aisle; the Tower; the Clerestory.

GOTHIC REVIVAL (1825-1900): Arch in north wall of the Chancel; Organ chamber (formerly a Vestry); stained glass windows.

THE EXTERIOR

The Tower was built in Ashlar from the nearby quarry at Ketton in about 1500 in the Perpendicular tradition. The structure is uncommon in that the buttresses are formed as the building contracts, the base being considerably wider than the battlements. The South Porch also dates from around 1500 and has three niches above the entrance in which stood three figures of saints which were removed during the Reformation. To the west of the doorway there is a scratch dial which was used by the priest to determine the times of the daily services. A stick would be placed in the hole to show the approximate time of day. There are also a number of other dials visible, which may be mason’s marks.

The Nave and Chancel exterior has several gargoyles as water-spouts and the crenellated parapet over the Clerestory is the only remaining ornament to the roof line. The low pitched roof of the Nave is typical of the later Gothic style. The now blocked ‘low side window’ in the north wall of the Chancel has the original iron stanchions of 14th century work.

THE INTERIOR

The Church is 121 feet (37 m) in length and 50 feet (15 m) wide, including the Aisles. The oldest portion of the building is the Chancel Arch which dates from about 1270. It is the only piece of Early English work remaining.

The Sanctuary is dominated by the great Te Deum east window of 1893 dedicated to the 4th Earl of Carysfort. The stonework is mid 14th century reset in the modern East wall. There are 52 main figures depicted and many lesser ones. The Communion Table is constructed from wood, the carved legs of which were once part of a 15th century church roof believed to have originated in Peterborough. The pulpit was erected by the hymn-writer Frederick William Faber who was Rector of Elton from 1843-45.

The Clerestory windows above the Nave arches are 15th century Perpendicular. They were discovered during the 1886 restoration and opened and restored. There were four windows on either side, but two on the north side remain blocked. Although much of the nave was re-pewed in the 1850’s, on the south side there are 16th century pews with carved bench ends, some with linen-fold pattern. The North Aisle dates from 1300-1310, except for the western most bay which was added with the tower in about 1500. The South Aisle dates from about 1500.

Over the middle pier of the south arcade is a stone bearing the coat of arms of the Sapcote family— the owners of Elton Hall before the Proby family. It has three dovecotes impaling three turnstiles or reels and is inscribed Syr Richard Sapcote, Knyght. This probably refers to the first Sapcote to reside at Elton Hall who, after being High Sheriff of Cambridge and Huntingdon in 1470, died and was buried at Fotheringhay in 1477.

On the floor by the north wall is an alabaster slab inscribed to Robert Sapcote d.1600, which was
discovered and reset in the 1886 restoration. The stained glass memorial windows in the church are mostly dedicated to members of the Proby family, and one to Archdeacon Kempthorne. Many memorial tablets appear on the wall of the south aisle commemorating various members of the Proby family.

There are five bells in the tower varying in weight from one ton down to just 10cwt, four originally cast in 1631 bear the inscription ‘Thomas Norris cast me’. 1 and 3 were recast in 1864, and 4 was cast in 1746 and recast in 1896.

The stone octagonal font is early 14th century (Decorated) but was altered in the 15th century and has a Victorian cover.