A Charter granted in 926 to King Edgar mentions a church in Chelsworth, and a Domesday Church is first recorded here in 1086. The present building by the river Brett is 13th Century. Among many fine features, you should try to see the Font, the Crusader Tomb of John de Philibert, a surviving Rood Loft Stair and Doom Painting over the Chancel Arch, and the fine South Porch with 16th Century Stained Glass panels.
NORTH AISLE |
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| ENTRANCE | View of North entrance with view of.. |
| THE FONT | The 14th century font has identical cusped arches on the eight faces of its bowl. |
| THE TOMB | Believed to have been in memory of Sir John de Philibert, Lord of the Manor, who died abroad in 1359. It is older than the aisle in which it stands, and may have been brought here from elsewhere. It has been cut into sections - perhaps for ease of transport - and on re-erection it was possibly found unsafe for the pilasters to stand unsupported, as was clearly intended Much of the carving was sunk into the wall for support. The tomb space was then formed in the thickness of the wall, and the wall itself set back to form the unusual projection seen outside. The medieval ledger stone was inserted into the floor circa 1900. |
| PISCINA | The tracery of this piscina breaks the splay of the adjacent window, and it may have been built into the wall at the same time as the tomb. |
| PISCINA IMAGE BRACKET | The presence of the piscina in the south side of the aisle, with the image bracket above it, shows that the isle was formerly used as a chapel |
NAVE AND CHANCEL |
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| THE 'DOOM' | This painting of the Last Judgement was discovered over the chancel arch during re-decoration in 1849. Experts rank it high among surviving church murals of the 15th century. It was crudely 'restored' following discovery. Part of another mural, found on the right of the western arch, has completely disappeared, but a contemporary drawing of it hangs in the church. |
| ORGAN | The two-manual organ, by Auguste Gern of Notting Hill, was installed in 1876, replacing a 'psalmodic barrel-organ' which stood in a gallery half-way up the western arch. The organ was restored in 1993. |
| PULPIT | Like the rest of the chancel furnishings, the pulpit dates from 1866, and takes the place of an earlier 'three -decker'. |
| PISCINA | This is in the traditional position, on the south side of the altar. |
SOUTH AISLE |
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| ROOD-LOFT STAIRS | The entrance to these was re-opened in the present century. Their height shows that the rood-screen (of which no trace remains), must have been exceptionally lofty. |
| TILES/CHEST | The encaustic tiles at the foot of the stairs, like the nearby chest, are attributed to the 14th Century. |
| PISCINA | Discovered during re-decoration in 1953, it shows that this aisle was also once used as a chapel. |
| HATCHMENTS | The hatchments are those of the Pocklinton family. |
| WINDOWS | The two heraldic windows, east and west, illustrate the coats of arms of successive Lords of the Manor. |
VESTRY |
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| DOORWAY | The South Porch, enclosed and converted into a vestry in 1843, has a fine perpendicular doorway, flanked by figures of monks. |
| GLASS | The source of the jumble of glass is unknown. It was discovered on the island west of the church. The small scale of the figures suggests that it is domestic glass. |
| BOSS | Notice the curious curved heads on the roof-boss. |
EXTERNAL FEATURES |
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| TOMB | The projection near the North Porch has already been explained. The row of ball-flower ornaments date it as of the 14th Century. |
| CHAPEL | Corbel-stones on the north wall of the chancel probably once supported the roof of an external chapel. Part of the tracery of an opening leading to it may be seen just east of the 'Priest's door' (now blocked up inside). |
Here is a selection of images of the church not linked to in the above text.
All Saint's Church in the morning
Afternoon View from South West
Stormy late afternoon view over the field
