All Saints Church Grayswood, Haslemere, Surrey

All Saints Church has been an important part of life in Grayswood for the last century AND WE CELEBRATED OUR CENTENARY IN 2002.

Not only is it a superb Grade I listed building in a lovely setting, All Saints has special significance for thousands of local residents, past and present.

Just inside the main entrance, proud parents and godparents have gathered at the font for the baptism of more than 1000 precious children. At the chancel step, 421 joyful couples have been pronounced husband and wife. And in the churchyard there are over 300 memorials to loved ones who have died and been laid to rest in a place they cherished. Add to that the many thousands of worship gatherings there have been over the years and it becomes clear that our church is the spiritual home to many.

All Saints Church building is unique in having been designed by a Swedish architect, Axel Haig. His skill is evident in every detail of the church architecture - and the work of several other artists is represented.

During our centenary in 2002 we successfully raised money which were put towards the upkeep and maintenance of our beautiful church building

OUR CENTENARY PROJECTS WERE AS FOLLOWS AND WERE ALL COMPLETED BY THE END OF 2003

West Window by Charles Eamer Kempe

This window, dating from 1903, depicts St John, St Michael and St Barnabas. Kempe’s style was inspired by medieval stained glass and he was widely popular, designing windows for Gloucester, Southwark, Winchester and Lich-field Cathedrals as well as many small churches around the country. Most of Kempe’s windows have his trademark, a wheat sheaf, incorporated into their design. We are fortunate to have a fine example of Kempe’s work at All Saints. However the West Window has deteriorated over time due to aging of the lead and sealer. Our first Centenary project is the complete removal and restoration of this window. The specialised skills are fascinating in themselves, and we hope to arrange some visits to view the work in progress by Clifford Durant and Son in Horsham. Sanctuary Murals

Moses and David Murals

It is not certain who painted the figures of Moses and David on either side of the East Window, and the rows of saints below. However they may be the work of another Swedish artist, Carl Almquist, who designed All Saints’ East and North Windows. The figures were painted in oils on linen canvas which was then carefully applied to levelled plaster on the wall. The murals have darkened considerably over the years and are in need of specialist cleaning and restoration. This will restore the colours to their original intensity.

Improved Disabled Access

The Disability Act is calling for improved access to all public buildings, including churches. Our third Centenary project is the provision of permanent wheelchair access to All Saints Church instead of the small, portable ramp that we use at present. As the entrance porch is relatively narrow, the porch floor would have to be graded to provide a sloped entrance into the building. The present porch floor has an attractive Victorian tile design and we hope to incorporate these tiles, or reproductions, into the surface of the new floor.

Floodlighting the Church Building

Many parishioners have expressed a wish to see the church building floodlit so we are including this project in our Centenary appeal. The intention is to light the front of the building with particular emphasis on the spire and the entrance. Lighting All Saints Church would ensure that the attractive Bargate stone and the shingle-clad spire shine out on our village through the hours of darkness as well as in daylight. For this project to become a reality we need to raise money to cover not only the initial cost of the lighting equipment, but also to provide funds to contribute towards the running costs of the lights.

	All Saints Church, Grayswood Rd, Grayswood, Nr Haslemere, Surrey GU27 2DB United Kingdom Telephone: 44 1428 656504 E-Mail: office@grayswoodparish.org


	All Saints Church has been an important part of life in Grayswood for the last century AND WE CELEBRATED OUR CENTENARY IN 2002. Not only is it a superb Grade I listed building in a lovely setting, All Saints has special significance for thousands of local residents, past and present. Just inside the main entrance, proud parents and godparents have gathered at the font for the baptism of more than 1000 precious children. At the chancel step, 421 joyful couples have been pronounced husband and wife. And in the churchyard there are over 300 memorials to loved ones who have died and been laid to rest in a place they cherished. Add to that the many thousands of worship gatherings there have been over the years and it becomes clear that our church is the spiritual home to many. All Saints Church building is unique in having been designed by a Swedish architect, Axel Haig. His skill is evident in every detail of the church architecture - and the work of several other artists is represented. During our centenary in 2002 we successfully raised money which were put towards the upkeep and maintenance of our beautiful church building OUR CENTENARY PROJECTS WERE AS FOLLOWS AND WERE ALL COMPLETED BY THE END OF 2003 West Window by Charles Eamer Kempe This window, dating from 1903, depicts St John, St Michael and St Barnabas. Kempe’s style was inspired by medieval stained glass and he was widely popular, designing windows for Gloucester, Southwark, Winchester and Lich-field Cathedrals as well as many small churches around the country. Most of Kempe’s windows have his trademark, a wheat sheaf, incorporated into their design. We are fortunate to have a fine example of Kempe’s work at All Saints. However the West Window has deteriorated over time due to aging of the lead and sealer. Our first Centenary project is the complete removal and restoration of this window. The specialised skills are fascinating in themselves, and we hope to arrange some visits to view the work in progress by Clifford Durant and Son in Horsham. Sanctuary Murals Moses and David Murals It is not certain who painted the figures of Moses and David on either side of the East Window, and the rows of saints below. However they may be the work of another Swedish artist, Carl Almquist, who designed All Saints’ East and North Windows. The figures were painted in oils on linen canvas which was then carefully applied to levelled plaster on the wall. The murals have darkened considerably over the years and are in need of specialist cleaning and restoration. This will restore the colours to their original intensity. Improved Disabled Access The Disability Act is calling for improved access to all public buildings, including churches. Our third Centenary project is the provision of permanent wheelchair access to All Saints Church instead of the small, portable ramp that we use at present. As the entrance porch is relatively narrow, the porch floor would have to be graded to provide a sloped entrance into the building. The present porch floor has an attractive Victorian tile design and we hope to incorporate these tiles, or reproductions, into the surface of the new floor. Floodlighting the Church Building Many parishioners have expressed a wish to see the church building floodlit so we are including this project in our Centenary appeal. The intention is to light the front of the building with particular emphasis on the spire and the entrance. Lighting All Saints Church would ensure that the attractive Bargate stone and the shingle-clad spire shine out on our village through the hours of darkness as well as in daylight. For this project to become a reality we need to raise money to cover not only the initial cost of the lighting equipment, but also to provide funds to contribute towards the running costs of the lights.