All Saints' Church, Newcastle upon Tyne

All Saints’ Church stands on a gentle rise in Lower Pilgrim Street, Newcastle upon Tyne, replacing a medieval predecessor on the same spot. Its elliptical plan makes it the only church of that shape in England, and at 40 metres it is the third tallest religious building in the city. The Grade I listed structure rises above surrounding streets, its curved walls visible from several directions. The church’s history reaches back to 1286, when a Gothic church occupied the site. Roger Thornton, Newcastle’s great benefactor, was buried there beneath an elaborate monument of brass and stone. When the old building decayed in the late 18th century, parishioners chose to rebuild rather than repair, commissioning David Stephenson to design the present elliptical church. Inside, the curved galleries and domed ceiling create an unusual sense of space. The organ case and stained glass survive from the 1790s, while the Thornton brass now hangs in St Nicholas’ Cathedral. Outside, the churchyard retains headstones that mark the graves of sailors and merchants who shaped Newcastle’s past.