TOUR OF ALL SAINTS CHURCH

Wednesday 10th August 2011

Our 2011 Summer Syllabus ended in fine style in the safe hands of Ex-Church Warden and GEHS member Mr Edward Gamble with a ‘Tour of All Saints Church’ on Wednesday 10th August when 33 members and friends were treated to a passionate insight into the history of one of our two Parish Churches described as ‘A fitting memorial to the man who inspired it, Canon Ernest Winter’.



‘Edward Gamble’

Edward began the tour with a short talk on the History of the Church whose foundation stone was laid on 11th August 1900 in which he described the intricate process that the Architect, Mr G H Fellows-Prynne and the builders undertook to create the 150ft long, 82ft wide and 42ft high masterpiece before its dedication service on 4th November 1903.

‘The East Window’

Edward showed us the eight statues of the Saints (All Saints) that stand four a side around the Chancel Arch that leads to the East Window. The ‘Saints’ were anonymously donated in 1912 and depict Gabriel, Hilda, Boniface, Francis of Assisi, George, Nicholas, Margaret and Michael.


     

Edward led us to the Baptistry where he showed us the font which once stood in Woodhouse Church in Huddersfield and explained the stained glass window that illustrates the nine orders of Angels. We then made our way back to the ‘All Souls Chapel’ which is home to the church war memorial (see war memorials part 3) and the organ.
We sat in the choir stalls beneath the High Altar while Edward explained the meaning of the stained glass pictures on the east windows before we were finally taken to view the Lady Chapel with its starry ceiling and the church pulpit.

‘Upward view of the Barrel roof and the ‘Hanging Rood’ ‘Leaving the Baptistry’

‘Richard Dyson reading the War list in All Souls chapel’

‘In All Souls Chapel’

‘Time for reflection’

‘The Stained glass East window and High Altar’

‘The Hanging Rood’

‘The Starry ceiling of the ‘Lady Chapel’

‘The Pulpit’

‘7 year old Tom Patterson with publicity secretary Mr David J Glanfield’

‘All polished off with Tea and Biscuits in the newly re-named ‘Canon Winter Centre’.

The evening was a resounding success and brought a superb Summer Syllabus to a very enlightening end. Society Chairman Mr Graeme Williams expressed the thanks of the members to Mr Gamble for his hard work and at times, very heartfelt delivery, of the history of this magnificent church. The evening ended with Tea and Biscuits in the newly refurbished Canon Winter Centre situated in the lower vestry.

Tim Patterson