Former Church Of All Saints

The west doorway is C12, although probably re-set here.

Double doors have intricate Gothic blind panelling and are C15 with some restoration.

The westernmost bay of each aisle has a doorway with nook shafts, and restored C15 doors with blind panelling similar to the west door.

Its wider lower stage has restored C12 angle pilasters of unusual semi-circular section, also found in Leicester at St Mary-de-Castro (and at Northampton St Peter and Tickencote in Rutland).

The pointed west doorway and window, the latter with double chamfer, are C13.

C15 upper stages have diagonal buttresses, and 2-light transomed bell openings with louvres, below an embattled parapet.

The nave has a C19 king-post roof with tracery above the beams, modelled on the late-medieval aisle roofs, both of which include corbelled posts and bosses and heads on the trusses.

The floor is C20 concrete-paving, with some former grave slabs and C19 tiles, and a section of medieval tiles, with parquet floors below pews.

The chancel is said to be partly laid with C15 tiles.

PRINCIPAL FIXTURES: The font is an outstanding work of the C13, with trefoils and rich foliage decoration around the bowl, on a round stem with detached shafts.

The polygonal pulpit is C15, repainted and placed on a new base in the C19, with blind ogee-headed tracery and little buttresses.

Nave benches have ends with rounded heads and ogee panels. (Benches have been removed from the aisles and part of the nave.) At the west end of the nave and north aisle is a low former screen base with carved blind-tracery panels.

There are numerous wall monuments.

The tower west window has fragments of medieval glass.

The late C19 and early C20 stained glass windows include work by Heaton, Butler and Bayne, Clayton & Bell, and a war-memorial window by Morris & Co.

The chancel is said to have wall monuments to Matthew Simons and Gabriel Newton (not visible at time of inspection).

HISTORY: The church is of C12 origin, evidence for which is the west doorway and the tower base.

The church was enlarged c1300 with addition of aisles and in the C15 the tower was heightened, the nave was heightened and the present aisle roofs were built.

REASONS FOR DESIGNATION: The former church of All Saints, Highcross Street, is designated at Grade I for the following principal reasons: * It is a large, prominently sited, medieval church that was at the heart of the medieval town. * It has significant medieval fabric, including the C12 west doorway

tower base, ambitious c1300 arcades, C15 tower and C15 roofs of high quality. * Fixtures of special note include the outstanding C13 font, rare C15 pulpit

a rare C17 clock case.