Church of All Saints

All Saints’ Church stands in the village of Strelley, a quiet place in Nottinghamshire surrounded by fields and old farmhouses. The building began in the 13th century and was rebuilt in 1356 by Samson de Strelley. A century later the clerestory was added, raising the roof and letting more light into the nave. In the 19th century George Gordon Place restored the church between 1855 and 1856, and Charles Hodgson Fowler carried out further work in 1895. A clock made by Reuben Bosworth was placed in the tower in 1868.

The church is famous for its monuments to the Strelley family. An alabaster chest tomb from about 1400 holds Sir Samson de Strelley and his wife. A floor slab marks the grave of John de Strelley from 1421. Brass plates recall Sir Robert Strelley and his wife Isabel, dated 1487. Another alabaster tomb, from 1501, covers John de Strelley and his wife Sanchia. The churchyard also contains memorials to later owners such as Sir Nicholas de Strelley in 1560 and Ralph Edge in 1684.

Inside, the nave still shows its medieval structure beneath later plaster. The monuments line the walls and floor, each telling part of the family’s story. The tower clock keeps time for the village and can be heard across the fields. Outside, the church sits at the end of a lane lined with stone cottages, giving a sense of stepping back into the 19th century.