All Saints Church, Leamington Spa

All Saints' Church, Leamington Spa
All Saints' Church, Leamington Spa
Denomination	Church of England
Churchmanship	Broad Church
Website	www.allsaintschurchleamington.org.uk
History
Dedication	All Saints
Administration
Parish	Leamington Spa
Diocese	Coventry
Province	Canterbury
Clergy
Vicar(s)	Revd Christopher Wilson
Priest(s)	Revd Anne Morris
Laity
Organist(s)	David Williams MA FRCO Assistant Organist David Williams MA FRCO

All Saints Church is the parish church for Leamington Spa town centre, England.

Background

Built in the gothic style in the 19th century, it has been described as "one of the largest Church of England parish churches, rivaling many cathedrals in size." It is located in the centre of the town, just south of the River Leam in what was the old core of the town.

History

The Domesday Book of 1086 reports that there was a priest present in "Lamintone", (an old name for Leamington) although there is no specific mention of a church. The earliest record of one was from the 12th century when Leamington was still a tiny hamlet in the parish of Leek Wootton. A west tower was added in the 14th century whilst a south porch was put added in the 18th. The first spring (of many that made Leamington famous) was located just outside the main entrance of the church of land owned by the Earl of Aylesford. It was however in 1843 that the church began to take its current form and shape. By this time the church was no longer in open fields just to the north of a hamlet, but was in the centre of a bustling spa town. The last major works to take place to the church were from 1898–1902, when two western bays to the nave and a south western bell tower were added.

The Church today

The church can comfortably seat 600 people but it can hold up to 1000 people. There are seven services a week, three on Sunday, one on Wednesday, one on Thursday and two on Friday. The Cafe Within (currently closed) was a small cafe in the church which served snacks and light meals. It was open at lunchtimes between Wednesday and Sunday. Two of Leamington's town founders, Benjamin Satchwell and William Abbotts are buried in the churchyard. From September 2007 to February 2008 the area at the front of the church was redeveloped and a new sculpture, entitled 'Spring', was installed on the site of the original Leamington spring.

Vicars of Leamington from 1823

• Robert Downes 1823 - 1839
• John Craig 1839 - 1877
• The Hon. J.W. Leigh 1877 - 1884
• Walter Furneaux 1884 - 1896
• Cecil Hook 1896 - 1906
• W. Armstrong Buck 1906 - 1916
• Frederick Feist 1916 - 1933
• G.C. Rolfe 1933 - 1943
• R.C. Streatfield 1943 - 1959
• Anthony Rouse 1959 - 1963
• Idwal Jones 1963 - 1980
• Ian Campbell 1980 - 1991
• J. Gareth Miller 1991-1993
• Interregnum 1993 - 1995
• George Warner 1995 - 2002
• Christopher Wilson 2003 -

Choirmasters

• Julian Parkin BA, BLitt, MEd, GradDipEd, GradDipArts(Art History), MACE, FRGS, FRSA, FASC 2008-

Organ

The church has a pipe organ by William Hill & Sons dating from 1879. There have been subsequent rebuilds by Hill, Norman and Beard in 1926, and Longstaff & Jones in 1981. A specification of the organ can be found on the National Pipe Organ Register, and further information about the extensive musical life of the church can be found on the All Saints' Music website.

List of organists

• Henry Elliston ca. 1842
• Henry Matthews 1864
• Thomas Bladon 1876
• Frank Spinney FRCO 1878
• Walter Spinney 1888
• W H Bellamey 1894
• Lionel Wiggins FRCO ARCM 1922
• Robert Dickinson BMus FRCO LRAM 1951
• Hugh Large FRCO ARCM 1956
• Neil Wade ARMCM ARCO 1964
• Graham Steed BMus FRCO 1965
• Alan Jones 1967
• Derrick Stiff 1968
• Keith Sedgebeer 1970
• David Palmer 1972
• Robert Munns FRAM ARCO ARCM 1983
• John Wilks BA BMus FRCO 1987
• Colin Druce GBSM FRCO ARCM 1988
• Sean Montgomery ARCO 1998

• Jeremy Meager LRSM ARCO 2007
• Cynthia Hall MA FRCO LRAM LGSM 2009

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