Castlefacts

England - Northern England - Cumberland - Boltongate Church of All Saints

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Unique, possessing the only stone tunnel-vaulted church roof in England.

Mostly late C14 incorporating part of the plinth of the earlier church. Squared and coursed limestone with nave parapet, all on chamfered plinth. Steeply-pitched red sandstone slate nave roof and graduated greenslate chancel roof with coped gable and cross finial. 2-bay nave with north and south porches, transept chapels and west twin bellcote, moved to its present position in 1812; 3-bay chancel with north lean-to vestry. Pointed-arched lean-to stone porches. 3-light panel-tracery windows, that in west wall under 3-light cusped flat-headed windows; similar 2-light windows in transepts, all under hoodmoulds with carved-head label stops. Flattened hexagonal north-east stair turret under stone slate spire gives access to parapet walk which goes completely around nave, the bellcote set back to allow for the walkway. Chancel has south priest's doorway in pointed arch and 2-light cusped and panel-tracery windows, all under hoodmoulds with carved label stops. Similar east window. 2-light south window and vestry window with flat heads, the vestry window with cusps, both with hoods. Interior of nave has pointed stone barrel-vaulted roof with half-vaulted transepts. Projecting corbel stones were perhaps to support the centering over which the vault was built. West wall has upper corbelling to support parapet walk. Door beside chancel arch gives access to spiral stone staircase up to parapet walk and also gave access to rood screen; one of the supporting corbel stones for this is above the doorway. Piscinae in both transepts, that in south transept with ogee arch and also aumbry recesses. Receut C14 font of which only the carving under the bowl is original. Chancel has C19 open timber roof on C14 corbels. Late C18 and early C19 wall plaques. Piscina in south wall. Pointed-arched doorway to vestry

(Listed Building Report)

The C14 stone vault roof of the nave (but not the chancel) is remarkable, and may have provided some fire-proofing, but the large C14 windows mean this was never a defensible building.