Welcome to All Hallows

Wellingborough's Parish Church, Northamptonshire U.K.
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The Chancel

Originally the chancel had a steep roof resting on the corbels visible high up on the walls. The original roof would have complemented the east window far better than the Perpendicular reconstruction which heightened the roof, but flattened it at the same time.



The pillars and arches of the Chancel are of the Perpendicular style showing that the north and south chapels were the last major additions to the main building (note moulded caps and bases).

 


East Window

The east window is early Decorated of the geometric style (c.1300 AD) and is a superb example of craftmanship. There are five lights and a fine tracery made up of a ring of trefoiled triangles. It is interesting to see how the mason surmounted the difficulty of working the tracery over the unequal lights since the second and the fourth are wider than the others. The stained glass dates from 1871. Its theme is the Crucifixion by Alexander Gibbs.

The large standard candlesticks of Renaissance design came from the continent. The silver lamp (1957) and the altar ornaments are the work of the late Frank Knight OBE, a local craftsman, whose work is in Saint Paul's Cathedral, Westminster Abbey and many of our parish churches and cathedrals. Under the chancel is a vaulted crypt which has not been opened in living memory. The Bishop's Throne and the Sedilia are to the design of George Pace CVO, as are the Hymn Boards.

Carvings
 
 
Carvings on the arms of two of the chancel seats -
 
 
 
and on two of the ends of the pews.

The Chancel has, on either side, elaborately carved Gothic wood screens of the 15th century, set in 14th century arches. The curiously carved stone corbels supported the present roof in the 15th century, but the most notable carving the church possesses is that of the six misericords dating from 1383 and perhaps brought from the Abbey of Crowland, whose manor Wellingborough once was. Under the seats, they show a fox seizing a goose, a mermaid, two lions, an eagle, a man enjoying a tankard of beer from an ale wife and, under the Vicar's stall the medieval craftsman himself in doublet and hose, at his bench carving a rose.