Present Day - 2000 Onwards
All Saints Church, Sandon, remains an active part of the community, with regular services and activities for the congregation. Regular repairs and updates continue, keeping our church an inviting and welcoming space for everyone.
On 2nd April 2020, the Church was closed and entry barred to follow the Archbishops’ requirements to protect the community from the Covid-19 pandemic, in line with government guidance. Limited access for designated people was allowed from the 6th May. We were delighted to welcome back the congregation.
As our history continues to unfold, this website will continue to be updated. The detailed research throughout would not be possible without our dedicated historians, Geoffrey Frederick Greenup, author of Jesus be Our Spede, researchers Diane Bradley and Robert Selby, plans by Graham Clay, with thanks to Dr John Hunt, Department of History, University of Birmingham, for his comments and advice on the content of this website and the detailed compilations by Ken Pemberton.
Preparing Sandon All Saints for a new century.
Maintaining an old building requires the usual ongoing work to update the interior, repair the stained glass and protect features like the wall paintings. Soakaways in the graveyard were installed, c 2000, to keep moisture away from the walls.
Upgraded systems include a hearing aid loop, added in 2004, with new electrics and lighting, and a sound system added in more recent years. An accessible toilet was added in 2012, in the southwest corner of the Lady Chapel with access from the inner porch.
At the same time the old single large pipe heating system was replaced by radiators. This revealed, at the west end, under the raised wooden floor, through a small hole, a brick-lined vault containing 3 lead-lined coffins with the wire wreath hoops still on the coffins and the metal hinges remaining of an external door, of which there is no evidence on the outside grass bank. A Report by a member of the Hanley Museum, dated the coffins to late 1700s/early 1800s.
The footways have been re-tarmacked and a new stone step added to the inner church door. Every piece of work helps us to remain accessible to all. (See the Log Book in the Appendix for a full list of works).
In 2016, following the theft of lead, the Vestry and north Aisle roof were replaced with terne-coated stainless steel. At that time the south pitch of the Chancel roof was replaced with new battens, roofing paper and tiles.
Many thanks to everyone who has worked on Sandon All Saints in recent years, including and not limited to:
Architects Brownhill Hayward Brown
Croft Conservation Ltd.
Shekede and Rickerby.
Contractor W.T. Morton
Contractor Miller Heritage
Things to see in the church.
The Prayer request board on the column is made from oak, reclaimed from the old Vestry table in February 2020.
The Vicars and Patrons of Sandon All Saints
Records of the Vicars and Patrons of Sandon All Saints begin in the Medieval Period and continue through to the current day.
