All Saints
Walsoken, Cambridgeshire
The county boundary makes several peculiar changes of direction in this area, with the result that the church and its yard are in Norfolk, while most of the rest of Walsoken is in Cambridgeshire.
But maybe the nearby homes actually underline the architectural brilliance of this great crag of masonry. It has an open ground floor and then three further stages, each with elegant blind arches.
The tower was built a little later than the body of the church, but both date from the first half of the 13th century.
The south porch of the church itself is flanked by two octagonal pinnacles. Like the tower, these are decorated with elegant blind arches. Both the outer and inner doorways of the porch have superb arches. There is a great deal else to enjoy on the outside of the church, from the big Perpendicular windows to the stonework decoration on the clerestory.
Inside, the outstanding features are the piers of the nave arcades. These are round, with detached shafts made of Purbeck marble. The capitals of the piers have elaborate foliage decoration. Between the arches are painted panels dating from the 17th century, and above these the blank arches of the clerestory have traces of medieval wall painting.
Above all of this is the 15th century roof, complete with angels holding shields. The tower is in the care of the Churches Conservation Trust.
