All Saints Parish Church, Loughborough: Renovations of 1862

7 June 2020

Between 1859 and 1862 Loughborough’s All Saints with Holy Trinity Parish Church underwent a significant restoration programme, for which Sir George Gilbert Scott was the principle architect.

This restoration involved filling the nave, aisles and transepts with new pews and enlarging the east window. The old high-backed pews and the triple-decker pulpit were removed. After the restoration, the church could seat 1,000 people. The gravestones were removed from the floor and repositioned in the graveyard.

Much of the cost was met through private donations. For example, W. Perry Herrick of Beaumanor Hall paid £1,000 towards the restoration of the tower. The church was reopened in 1862 and while this phase of work is often referred to as “the 1862 restoration”, some of the work on the tower wasn’t finished until 1863.

Rectors of All Saints Church during Queen Victoria’s reign:

  • William Holme 1826 – 1848
  • Henry Fearon 1848 – 1885 (also Archdeacon of Leicester 1863 – 1885)
  • Thomas Pitts 1885 – 1917
All Saints Parish Church, Loughborough. Photo Wikipedia Kev747.