All Saints, Kings Langley.
I’d travelled quite a way by train to get here, then walked over from the sister village of Abbots Langley over the valley, so was glad that someone was in the dreary looking bunker attached to the church who could let me in. The M25 rumbles down below where it crosses the canal and railway, a modern reminder of the importance of this north west route out of London. Most of the church is dull late Perpendicular, squat west tower and aisled nave with low clerestory, nothing to write home about even if built by metropolitan masons.
I’d travelled quite a way by train to get here, then walked over from the sister village of Abbots Langley over the valley, so was glad that someone was in the dreary looking bunker attached to the church who could let me in. The M25 rumbles down below where it crosses the canal and railway, a modern reminder of the importance of this north west route out of London. Most of the church is dull late Perpendicular, squat west tower and aisled nave with low clerestory, nothing to write home about even if built by metropolitan masons.
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There is a splendid Jacobean pulpit and tester, but It is only in the n.e. chapel that the main reason for visiting this church becomes obvious, as it’s here that the richly heraldic tomb of Edmund of Langley eventually came to rest. Originally in the priory church close to the royal palace that gave this prince his name, the long chest tomb was removed here after the Dissolution of the monasteries. Edmund was the fifth son of King Edward III, and was the first Duke of York, head of that branch of the family that reigned on and off during the Wars of the Roses. As well as his own arms, differenced by a unique label, the tomb bore the arms of England, France Ancient, Leon and Castille and the Empire, as well as the arms of his brothers.
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There are also some tiles from the priory, and the battered effigies of Sir Ralph Verney and his wife, whose tomb was only erected in the friary in 1528, having to be moved soon after. There's also a 1793 memorial to Mary Crawford by Bonomi and Westmacott topped by a roundel of a grieving cherub that hardly lives up to such first class names. Some rather good jazzy tiles around the altar are probably by the C19th firm of Godwin of Lugwardine having the firms orange peel finish. The church is great for those interested in heraldry, and the pulpit is a splendid example, but this is one that only experts should go out of their way to view.
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The church itself seems often locked, but it's worth trying at the church offices, or ring 01923 266596 to arrange access.
All rights reserved for this entire site. Copyright reserved to stiffleaf for all text and images, which may not be reproduced without my permission.
All rights reserved for this entire site. Copyright reserved to stiffleaf for all text and images, which may not be reproduced without my permission.
