The Normans built a Church on this site, probably about the same time as the Norman Castle was built - late 1000s or early 1100s, and being within the Castle bounds it probably served as a Garrison Chapel as well as the Parish Church. The earliest record of the name "All Saints" is 1470.
The intervening years have seen the church mercilessly gutted and refashioned in the name of progress, leaving so little of its original grandeur intact.
Before the 19th century remodelling, the building was mostly 15th or 16th century. New windows were installed in the Chancel in 15th century and the Nave was rebuilt, making it wider and higher than the Chancel. The three storey tower looked short against the new posts upon tie beams.
On March 20th 1643 during the Civil War, Dr. Gray was ejected from the Rectory for supporting Charles lst, and on March 25th 1643 the notorious Will Dowsing destroyed the painted glass windows in the Nave and Chancel and broke the Cross on the Nave roof.
The Chancel screen still survived in 1744 but only the base remained in 1851.
Early in the 19th century, a new ceiling was fitted to the Chancel and an East window with cast iron tracery - perhaps about 1818 when the lead roof was replaced by slates (themselves replaced in 1883).
The octagonal 15th century font was largely re-cut in 1850. Some 14th century glass in the Nave's South windows was re-set in 1923. The Choir stalls were inserted in 1883 and there was a robed choir as recently as the 1950s.
The old Tower, built about 1400 in the decorated style of architecture, collapsed on July 18th 1850. Norman remains were found in the tower which seems to prove that this tower replaced a Norman one, and that the present Church was built some 50 years later than the fallen tower.
The remains of two bodies were found under the tower, one in a coffin of solid oak, and are believed to be of the Saxon period which would suggest that "All Saints" stands on the site of an earlier Church. The remains were carefully replaced under the foundations of the new tower which was commenced in June 1851 and completed before the end of the year. It is built on a solid bed of concrete and the walls, which average 4' thick, are about two-thirds solid brickwork. The cost of this tower was £754 and the Architect was W.G.E. Pritchett of Bishops Stortford.
In 1882 the whole Church was thoroughly restored by J.P. St. Aubyn. Stone tracery replaced the cast iron in the East Window and West gallery was removed and internal woodwork entirely renewed.
The Nave's North windows were renewed in 1908 and its roof timbers mostly replaced in 1913.
If anybody would like to expand to this series please do, I would just ask that you could let Sadexploration know first so he can keep track of the Church numbers and names to avoid duplication.
There is also a Church Micro Stats & Information page found via the Bookmark list