Sunday, October 12, 2014

All Saints Pavement, York, England

Not to be confused with the other All Saints church in York (which is the church on North Street), here's another All Saints parish in York!

The Parish and Guild Church of All Saints Pavement is named in part after the street on which it is situated. The street was one of the first paved roads in the medieval city of York. Tradition tells that the first church on the site was built by St. Cuthbert in 685. The church was the guild church for seven of the local guilds and also the Regimental Church of the Royal Dragoon Guards. The area is now a busy shopping district with buildings closing in, so it's difficult to get the whole church in one picture.

The octagonal tower is well executed, quite distinctive, and easily spotted from different parts of the city.

All Saints Pavement (the tower)

All Saints Pavement (the church)

The interior is simple but has many fine decorations.

Nave

The main altar has an alabaster reredos with Christ in the center flanked by the apostles and the evangelists.

Main altar

The stained glass window over the altar dates from the Victorian era and shows a great variety of saints as befits the name of the church.

East window

Next to the altar is the 1634 pulpit. Famed Anglican clergyman John Wesley (1703-1791) preached several times from this pulpit.

Pulpit

The church also has a nice baptismal font.

Baptismal font

The Royal Dragoons are commemorated with their colors and a window.

Regimental flags

Regimental window

In the northern aisle is another window from the Victorian era that depicts three northern English saints--Aidan, Paulinus, and Cuthbert.

North Saints window

Many other fine stained glass windows are found in this church.

Mothers and sons?

Madonna and child flanked by angels

The west window (over the church entrance)

The door to the vestry has some interesting decorations--replicas of the helmet, sword, and gauntlets of Thomas Percy, Seventh Earl of Northumberland. He was executed outside in 1572 after his rebellion against Queen Elizabeth I failed.

York seal and Yorkist armour

I thought the ceiling was also quite nice.

Ceiling

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