All Saints – History and Heritage
This page draws together a number of historical sources and writings about All Saints church. It is not comprehensive – there is a great deal of other material in a range of publications and in archives that can be accessed if required. Also, no attempt is made to produce any sort of historical synthesis. Nonethelss, it is hoped that the material presented here will be of interest to some.
From the All Saints Wikipedia entry
The spire of Oakham parish church dominates distant views of the town for several miles in all directions. The impressive west tower and spire, built during the 14th century in the Decorated Gothic style, are slightly earlier in date than most of the rest of the exterior of the building, which (apart from some Victorian restoration) is in the Perpendicular style. Oddly, the south doorway and its porch seem to be the oldest parts of the church, the doorway probably dating from the early 13th century with the porch having been added later that century. In the light, spacious interior there is more evidence of the mature Decorated style of the 14th century. The tall, slender columns of the nave have intricately carved capitals showing animals, birds, figures, foliage and scenes from the Bible including Adam and Eve, the Expulsion from the Garden of Eden, the Annunciation and the Coronation of the Virgin Mary. There is also a fine Green Man. The church was restored in 1857 to 1858 by Sir George Gilbert Scott. It is a Grade I listed building.[1] The church formerly housed a library of books donated by Anne Harington in 1616.[2] The remaining collection was transferred to the University of Nottingham in 1980.
Pictures from Wikipedia Commons
All Saints Oakham – a guide and history by Nigel Aston
The church guide, published by the Friends of All Saints Church in 2003. Given that it is 20 years old, it is not up to date in places, but still provides an accessible and quite comprehensive document. The pdf can be downloaded from this site, and copies are on sale in church.
Victoria County History – History of the County of Rutland Volume 2
Page for Oakham Parish – scroll down for description of All Saints. The Victoria county History is the definitive compilation of historical documents for towns and counties across England. The Rutland Volume is now quite old – from the 1920s and 1930s – but contains a huge amount of information for All Saints and its wider context.
Rutland County Magazine and Historical Record 1903 to 1908
The first three volumes of this publication contain a number of articles relating to the history of All Saints Oakham.
Great English Churches website
Page for All Saints Oakham An extensive description of the church and a discussion of its development, concentrating mainly on the nave capitals, gargoyles and friezes. The photos it contains are quite magnificent.
The north clerestory carvings from the Great English Churches web site
Photographs from the Church Lighting Project
When the church lighting was being renewed in early 2025 extensive scaffolding was erectedthat gave the opportunity to take photographs of the carvings and ornaments high up in the church roof.
The Church Clock
Installed in 1858, one of the prototypes for Big Ben
From the Rutland County Museum
Harry Nicholson – organist and choir master
Blog posts from Chris Baker’s website
The good, the bad and the grotesque – the decorated capitals of All Saints church in Oakham An examination of some wonderful medieval stone carvings in Oakham Parish Church.
A possible Anglo-Saxon church group at Oakham in Rutland Some thoughts on church and castle alignments in Oakham.
The 1858 Restoration of All Saints church in Oakham – Part 1, Part 2, Part 3 Three linked posts giving the transcripts of press reports of the restoration and re-opening of All Saints church in 1858, including the condition report by Gilbert Scott.
The chancel and chapels of All Saints church Oakham – Gilbert Scott’s legacy A post looking at some aspects of the restoration of All Saints Oakham in 1858.
Relics and hermits. A blog that considers the proposal, made in a lecture in 1860, that All Saints Oakham once housed both relics and hermits.
The Harrington Bequest. Two posts that consider the bequest of Anne, Lady Harrington in 1616. Part 1- The charity, Part 2 – Oakham Parish Library
The Oakham Parish chest. A short post that describes the large medieval wooden chest in All saints Church in Oakham .
Stephen Glynne’s Church Notes – Oakham All Saints. A post that sets out and discusses the notes made by Sir Stephen Glynne on his visit to Oakham All Saints around 1849.
Kinetic Water Power – some odd words on a memorial in All Saints Oakham led to some interesting findings
about how church organs were powered at the start of the 20th century
The floor memorials in the Lady Chapel of All Saints Oakham. A post that describes the memorial floor slabs that cover graves in the Lady Chapel at All Saints Oakham – discussing the memorial inscriptions and the layout of the plots.
All Saints Oakham Flower Festival 1996. A photo blog showing some views of the 1996 flower Festival at all saints Oakham.
Oakham adverts 1932. Some pages from an All Saints Oakham church guide of 1932 that show adverts for a number of business in the town at that time.
Pictures from the blog posts
Royal Rutland
In March 2024 all Saints celbrated the 1000th anniversary of the birth or Queen Edith. More details of queen Edith, her relationship to Rutland and the celbrations can be found here.
Historic Church Guides
A number of church guides have been produced over the years, which have become historic documents in themselves. The can be accessed by clicking on the pictures below.
Miscellaneous documents
Click on the pictures below for a 1996 article on the refurbishment of the west end of church; some parish magazine articles by John Ball on various church historical issues from the first part of the 20th century; and a document giving details of those church records that have been deposited in Leicester archives.
