All Saints Church, Heathfield
All Saints Church is a Church of England parish church in Heathfield, East Sussex, England. It was constructed in the 14th century and is a Grade II* listed building.[1]
History
The church was built in the 14th century on the location of a former church with the 13th century tower being incorporated into the new church. Stonemasons working on the church built a pub next door to act as their shelter when they were working on it.[2]
In the early 1600s, the vicar of the church was Reverend Robert Hunt. He was not popular with the local parishioners owing to him not living in the parish,[3] as well as being accused of sexual impropriety with his maid.[2] Despite being acquitted, the Archbishop of Canterbury recommended he go to the Colony of Virginia. He landed in Jamestown and conducted the first Church of England service in the colony.[2] A stained glass window commemorating this event was installed in All Saints in 1957.[4]
The church was expanded in 1823 with the addition of two side galleries with a capacity of 120, paid for by the Incorporated Society for the Enlargement of Churches.[5] It was restored in 1861 and in 1872 by an architect called J. Billing.[6] In 1917, a stained glass window to Lt-Colonel W. C. C. Ash in suffragette colours was installed after a contribution from one of his close female relatives in the north aisle.[2] It was granted Grade II* listed status in 1966.[1]
Churchyard
The churchyard contains a crypt which also dated back to the 14th century when the church was constructed.[1] The church has occasionally received grants from Heathfield and Waldron Parish Council.[7] It contains 19 military graves managed by the Commonwealth War Graves Commission.[8]
See also
Media related to All Saints Church, Old Heathfield at Wikimedia Commons
- Grade II* listed buildings in Wealden
- List of current places of worship in Wealden
References
- ^ a b c "THE PARISH CHURCH OF ALL SAINTS". Historic England. Retrieved 2023-01-13.
- ^ a b c d Opening times. "Old Heathfield All Saints". National Churches Trust. Retrieved 2023-01-13.
- ^ "Rediscovering Reverend Hunt". Smithsonian. Retrieved 2023-01-13.
- ^ Montgomery, Dennis (2007). 1607: Jamestown and the New World. Rowman & Littlefield Publishers. p. 99. ISBN 9780742569003.
- ^ Horsfield, Thomas (1835). The History, Antiquities, and Topography of the County of Sussex. Vol. 1. Sussex Press. p. 576. ISBN 9780903967204.
- ^ "The Parish church of All Saints, Heathfield and Waldron". British Listed Buildings. Retrieved 2023-01-13.
- ^ "Heathfield and Waldron Parish Council given grant to the churchyard at All Saints, Heathfield". Kent and Sussex Courier. 1980-12-12. Retrieved 2023-01-13 – via Newspapers.com.
- ^ "Heathfield (All Saints) Churchyard". CWGC. Retrieved 2023-01-13.