All Saints
Middleton Cheney, Northamptonshire
All Saints is a typical village parish church, but it can be found in many guide books, as it is nationally and internationally famous for its stained glass windows by William Morris.
In 1805 the non ecclesiastical buildings were pulled down and this church fell into dis repair.
This was first rectified by Henry Jones Underwood (1804-1852), a pupil of Smirke whose practice after 1830 was based in Oxford where he built St Pauls church in Walton Street and a library for the Botanic Gardens, both in the Greek Revival Style. Most of his work though was concerned with Gothic buildings so he was a natural choice for Warkworth.
Almost 30 years later Charles Henry Driver (1832-1900) was commissioned to do further work. Though best remembered for his contribution, alongside Bazelgette, to the construction of the London sewers and the great pumping houses, and railway stations he was also an ecclesiastical restorer. Here he added an upper part to the tower, rebuilt the chancel adding glass, providing a rich reredos, and the almost obligatory encaustic tiles. He also created the south arcade. The newness of this work has mellowed and the church now has a fine atmosphere of a medieval building brought back to life.
