Walsoken Church

Notability|date=July 2008

All Saints' Church - Walsoken. Walsoken lies amongst the orchards. It is an ancient place named from the sea wall built by the Romans. Most of Walsoken has been taken from Norfolk into Cambridgeshire, although Norfolk has kept the Parish Church. It has one of the finest churches in East Anglia, crowned by a splendid medieval tower with four turrets and a spire. The massive Norman arcades are rich with zigzag mouldings, and the Chancel arch resting on banded shafts is magnificently carved, the work of craftsmen when the Norman style was passing. On one side is the 15th-century doorway to the old rood loft. There is a grand array of fine woodwork, and nearly all the roof grey with age are richly carved. The nave roof has painted angels and other figures in delicately canopied niches. There are 15th-century screens in both aisles, one with most intricate tracery, stalls with carved heads, battered figures on old benches, and over the tower arch two paintings of the judgement of Solomon with a statue of a king enthroned between them.But the chief treasure among so much splendour is the magnificent 400 year old font, looking like ivory rather than stone, with sculptures of the crucifixion and seven sacraments, eight saints under rich canopies, and round the base this inscription to those friends of the church who gave it: "Remember the souls of S. Honyter and Margaret his wife, and John Benforth, Chaplain 1544." One child baptised at this font grew up to be arch bishop of Canterbury. He was the Rector's boy, Thomas Herring, who became Archbishop in 1747, and a little while before he died put a tablet in the chancel here "in grateful memory of his excellent parents." He was a man of immense enthusiasm and full of generosity. All Saints’ Church in Walsoken is a Grade 1 Listed Building and consists of a nave with south and north aisles, chancel with south and north chapels, south porch and west tower surmounted by a spire. The nave and chancel are both late Norman and date from c.1146. The nave consists of fine arcades of 7 semi-circular arches. The arches are finely carved and the piers are alternately circular and octagonal. The chancel arch is elaborately carved and dates from the 13th century and is pierced by a 15th century entrance to a former rood screen. The tower arch is Early English and the south porch and west tower also date from the 13th century. The tower contains a rounded Norman west doorway. The spire is later and dates from the 15th century and there are several later window insertions throughout. The roofs are mediaeval and the nave roof is a single hammer beam construction with mediaeval canopied figures on the jack posts retaining some of their original colour. Above the tower arch is a 15th century carving of King Solomon and either side of the carving is a 15th century plaster painting depicting the Judgement of Solomon. Above the chancel arch is a 15th century carving of King David with harp.