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History of the Church |
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A brief history about All Saints' Church and King Charles II. You can also read about the Consistory Court.
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People of All Saints |
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Past vicars, John Bales and a short piece about the Northamptonshire Pastoral poet, John Clare.
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The American
Connection |
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An
explanation of our connection to early settlers of Virginia
and New England.
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Ring of Ten
Bells |
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A brief history
about the church bells and their current Company of Bell Ringers.
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Thomas Dawes
Dial Clock |
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The history of
Thomas Dawes and his dial clock.
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Gallery Organ |
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Information
about the Walker & Sons Ltd. Gallery Organ.
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Chancel Organ |
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Information
about the Hill & Son and Norman & Beard Chancel Organ.
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Chapel Organ |
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Information
about the J. W. Walker & Sons Ltd. Chapel Organ. |
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Thomas Dawes was perhaps the most influential and notable
clockmaker of Northampton. His premises were on The Drapery,
and he was made a freeman of Northampton on 11 July 1726. It
is recorded that he took up the upkeep of the clocks of All
Saints' Church from Thomas Eayre in 1730. It is known that
Thomas Eayre had held a 21 year contract, paying 40 shillings
per annum. Dawes gave the wonderful gilded dial clock, mounted
on the West gallery, to All Saints in 1752. It has a two foot
(ca. 60cm) wide dial, and all the mouldings, including the
door, are of brass. His apprentices included William Triston, |
Benjamin Maude,
John Spence, Benjamin Downing, John Hughes and William Adams.
Dawes died in 1779, with his death noted in the Northampton
Mercury thus:
On Thursday died Thomas Dawes, gentleman, and one of the
surveyors of the window tax for this county. He had been a
watch and clockmaker of great note of this town, but lately
retired from business.
You can see from the above photograph that when the Chancel
Organ was designed (1979-1982) the choir case sits on top of
the Gallery, rather than hanging over the edge, as is usual.
This enabled the Clock to stay in its original position, with
the mechanism accessible via a space under the choir case.
Photo courtesy of Ross Dawkes, West Dean College, 2007.
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