Church of All Saints, Lamport

The Church of All Saints stands on the north side of Lamport’s High Street in Northamptonshire. It is a Grade I listed building, meaning it is of exceptional historic interest. The church occupies a quiet spot on the edge of the village, close to Lamport Hall where the Isham family once lived. Its tower is the oldest part, dating from the 12th or 13th century. Later centuries added the north chapel in 1672, rebuilt chancel and aisles from 1737, and a new vestry in 1879 designed by G. F. Bodley. The church is worth visiting for its layered history and the monuments it holds. No mention of a church appears in the 1086 Domesday Book, suggesting the earliest building may have been modest or served by a travelling priest. The Isham family, who owned Lamport Hall from 1560 to 1976, left their mark with several family memorials inside. Francis Smith of Warwick designed the chancel and south porch, while Bodley’s 1879 vestry added a later Gothic touch. Parish registers survive from 1587, offering a window onto centuries of local life. Inside, the church combines medieval stonework with later woodwork and monuments. The north chapel retains its 17th-century character, while the rebuilt chancel shows early 18th-century craftsmanship. The vestry, with its detailed fittings, reflects late Victorian design. Outside, the graveyard holds stones that tell stories of families from Lamport and the wider benefice. The church also safeguards treasures transferred from Faxton after its demolition, including a silver cup and paten from 1670.