Plymouth, All Saints' Church

PLYMOUTH
DATA

The Encyclopaedia of Plymouth History

ALL SAINTS' CHURCH

All Saints' Church is situated in Harwell Street, Plymouth.

The ecclesiastical parish was formed on May 14th 1875 from that of St Peter. It was the first to be formed under the Three Towns Church Extension Scheme.

The Church was consecrated by the Bishop of Exeter on Tuesday November 10th 1874. Amongst the large gathering present were Archdeacon Phillpotts; Archdeacon Earle; the Reverend G R Prynne from St Peter's; and Mr Vicary, a churchwarden.

Only a part of the limestone building had been completed. A temporary wooden nave, 80 feet long by 28 feet wide, had been constructed along with the organ chamber, vestry and the chancel and that portion was being used for services. It was reckoned that it could hold 400 people. Inclusive of the purchase of the land, the total cost so far had been about £2,600. When sufficient money had been raised it was intended to build the aisle walls on either side of the temporary nave.

The chancel was apsidal in shape, with five windows consisting of two lights, divided by an ornamental shaft, and having a pierced head. The windows had been installed by Messrs Fouracre of Stonehouse. The open roof was of pitch pine. Thefloor of the chancel was of red and buff tiles. The reredos conststed of five panels, the centre one being the largest. The carving and windows had been left unfinished as it was the intention to use all available funds to complete the main fabric first.

In time the Church, designed in the Early English style by Mr James Hine, would consist of north and south aisles, a tower, a baptistry at the south-west angle, chancel at the east end, with the organ chamber on the north side and the vestry on the south. Between the nave and each aisle would be an arcade of five archess springing from circular pillars, above which would be a lofty clerestory.

The clergy-house was erected in 1887, the architect being Mr J D Sedding.

Parish rooms and a Sunday School were erected in 1892.

Plymouth's first Boy Scout troop was formed at All Saints' Church and registered at Scout Headquarters on July 4th 1908, the year that the movement was founded.

The nave of the Church remained with a temporary roof until the building was completed in 1912 during the incumbency of the Reverend O E Anwyl. The architect at this time was Mr W H May.