Description

 

A church has stood on the site of the present building in Leighton Buzzard for more than 1,000 years. Today's church, dedicated to All Saints, dates from 1277 and is an outstanding example of early English architecture with a 60m spire on a squat tower. Inside it boasts a magnificent 15th century roof adorned with angels and saints contrasting with 25 ferocious gargoyles around the outside. The church was nearly lost in a massive fire in 1985, but it has been painstakingly restored.

It was rehallowed in 1989 and re-opened for worship.

During the 1990s as the spire, which bore the brunt of the fire, began to
settle after its repairs, it was apparent it needed to be re-pointed and this
was undertaken, paid for entirely by the local church. In 1998 cracks were discovered in the tower which supports the spire.
Serious cracks, particularly on the south face which is affected most by
weather. Inside the bell chamber air movement could be detected through
the metre thick walls, indicating that they might be losing integrity. The
walls were also seen to be bulging in places. A specialist architect was commissioned to survey the tower and the rest
of the building and report back. The subsequent Report made gloomy
reading and pointed the way towards a massive restoration, not only of the
tower, but also of the nave and transepts. Most of these areas were not
affected by the fire, but had been touched by the hand of time, by
centuries of weather and more recently by an increasingly acid environment. Preservation and Restoration works on the Church are, and always will be, a 'work in progress' as we remain committed to the integrity of this beautiful Church

For more details of the continuing work carried out on this beautiful, landmark building, and to see how you can help to preserve the Church for many more years to come, please visit our website by 'clicking' the link below.

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