All Saints, Tattersett

The two hamlets of Tattersett and Coxford, having initially formed around estate farms, have a predominance of permanent residents as owner-occupiers and tenants, with a minority of second homes.   The church of All Saints is a Grade 1 listed Norman church that has recently been declared “At Risk” by Historic England. It stands in a very isolated rural setting around a half of a mile from the village of Tattersett, and within a few hundred yards of the remains of Coxford Priory. It lies well off the beaten track in the middle of arable and permanent grass fields. The church serves both communities, that of Tattersett on the north side of the A148 and the small hamlet of Coxford which lies with the church on the south side of the main road.

The south door has been dated to around 1200, and alterations are recorded in the 14th, 15th and 16th centuries. The last large renovation was undertaken in 1907.  There is a medieval font, window and piscina. A medieval wall painting is visible but has faded rapidly during the past few years.

The parish ensures that at least one service a month is held at the church and congregation numbers vary from eight during winter months to an exceptional eighty at the Christmas Day service.  The church is kept clean and the grass in the churchyard mown. The Parish Share is paid in full by a very small number of individuals and all routine up-keep of the church is undertaken by Pynkney Estate which owns the surrounding land.

As can be seen from the internal photographs this church is in need of urgent repair.   At present it is a stable structure but it will not take many more winters in its exposed site to speed its deterioration.   We have, as a Benefice therefore put together a small committee to aim to raise some £250,000 in order to ensure its survival as a used building for worship into the future.  An application for funds to propose protection measures for the wall painting has been successful and will therefore be a start point for the greater scheme.  Our first target is to address all the points raised in the “At Risk” notice and we will move on to the full restoration once these repairs are under way.   A  dedicated website at www.tattersettchurch.co.uk has now been launched to raise awareness of our campaign.