All Saints' Church, Fleet
View of All Saints in April 2014
51°17′02″N 0°50′34″W / 51.28389°N 0.84278°W / 51.28389; -0.84278
LocationFleet
CountryEngland
DenominationChurch of England
ChurchmanshipBroad Church
Websiteparishoffleet.org.uk
History
DedicationAll Saints
Consecrated29 April 1862
Architecture
Heritage designationGrade II* listed
Architect(s)William Burges
Construction cost£3,323
Administration
ProvinceCanterbury
DioceseGuildford
ArchdeaconrySurrey
DeaneryAldershot
ParishFleet

All Saints' Church is the Anglican parish church of the town of Fleet in the county of Hampshire, England. It is notable for its architect, William Burges and was constructed between 1861 and 1862. A Grade II* listed building, the church was very badly damaged in an arson attack in 2015. An eight-year restoration saw the church reopen in April 2023.

History and description

The church was designed by Burges and was built between 1861 and 1862.[1] It was extended to the west in 1934 by A. J. Steadman and a Lady Chapel was added in 1958 by John Purser.[1] The church was commissioned by the local squire, Charles Edward Lefroy, secretary to the Speaker of the House of Commons as a memorial to his wife, Janet Lefroy. It cost £3,323.[1] It has been listed Grade II* on the National Heritage List for England since June 1987.[2]

Pevsner says of Fleet that "it has no shape, nor character nor notable buildings, except one",[1] that one being All Saints. The church is of red brick and its plan is "simple in the extreme."[3] The interior too is simply decorated but the massive sculpture, particularly of the Lefroys' tomb and of the gabled arch below which it originally sat is quintessentially Burges, "not so much muscular (gothic) as muscle-bound".[3] Janet Lefroy was originally a Walker, daughter of James Walker, who established the great marine engineering company of Walker and Burges with Alfred Burges, father of William. This family connection led to Burges obtaining the commission.[3]

The interior was significantly altered in the later twentieth century by the removal of the Lefroy tomb from its original position and by the whitewashing of the apse. Of these alterations, Pevsner comments; "And so a work by a none too prolific genius is irreparably spoiled."[3]

Fire

Far greater damage was caused in 2015 by an arson attack. On 22 June the roof and much of the interior was destroyed by a major fire.[4] Daniel Finnerty, a seventeen-year-old local, was subsequently arrested for suspected arson.[5] In November 2015, at Winchester Crown Court, Finnerty pleaded guilty to two charges of arson and was sentenced to four years in a Youth Offender Institution (reduced to 3+1⁄2 years on appeal)[6] and to a three-year extended licence.[7] The church was returned to a condition where it could hold services by 30 April 2023 when it was reconsecrated.[8]

Notes

  1. 1 2 3 4 Pevsner & Lloyd 1967, p. 234.
  2. ↑ Historic England, "Church of All Saints, Fleet (Grade II*) (1339861)", National Heritage List for England, retrieved 4 July 2020
  3. 1 2 3 4 Crook 1981, pp. 194–195.
  4. ↑ "Fleet All Saints Church roof destroyed by fire – BBC News". BBC News. 22 June 2015. Retrieved 22 June 2015.
  5. ↑ "Suspected arson at All Saints Church causes major damage – Welcome to Fleet". Archived from the original on 23 June 2015. Retrieved 23 June 2015.
  6. ↑ R v Finnerty [2016] EWCA Crim 1513
  7. ↑ "CPS press release on Daniel Finnerty". Cps.gov.uk. Archived from the original on 25 June 2016. Retrieved 3 June 2016.
  8. ↑ "Fleet: Church gutted in arson attack reopens after rebuild". BBC News. 30 April 2023. Retrieved 30 April 2023.

References

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