Hawton

All Saints

Newark Archdeaconry

Newark and Southwell Deanery

Introduction

All Saints’ Church building consists of a chancel, nave, aisles, south porch and west tower. The stone is mainly ashlar limestone from Ancaster. The oldest part of the church is the north arcade of 13th Century Early English style. The south arcade is early 14th Century. The tower was built in 1482 by Sir Thomas Molyneux.

The superb chancel was built by the second Sir Robert de Compton (d1330). It contains the magnificent Easter Sepulchre. This shows the Resurrection with Roman soldiers, Christ rising and the three Marys. Above is the Ascension – only Christ’s feet are seen. Opposite is the fine tripartite sedilia with much brilliant carving – there can be seen a pelican and two boys picking grapes, for example. Next to this is a double piscina with carved figures.

The plain octagonal font is 14th Century. The clerestory and plain oak benches date from about the same time as the tower. There is a late 15th Century rood screen with quatrefoils.

There remains a rare part of the rood loft parapet, and a squint. A blocked doorway led to a now-destroyed chantry chapel. There is a great east window of 7 lights. Under the tower is a matrix of the brass of Sir Robert de Compton (d1308).

The restoration in 1880-87 was by C Hodgson Fowler.

Pevsner’s description includes: ‘The chancel is one of the most exciting pieces of architecture in the country.’

Thanks to Jane and Bill Paulson for photographs

This church is currently being researched, a full entry will appear in due course.