| Tour of All Saints' Church, Little Staughton, Bedfordshire |
Entry to the Church is by the South Porch which was built in 14th century. On either side of the Porch entrance are two shields, the details of which have been lost. Other stone carvings, probably the heads of saints, have been defaced. A small niche over the door which would have contained the statue of a saint is empty. The porch is simple and typical of many country churches. The stone benches are well worn by villagers who over the centuries would have received instructions from their priest or spent a period of quiet rest and contemplation there - indeed, on a cold windy day, the local gravedigger would have sought shelter under its roof - perhaps he still does!
The doorway into the Church shows signs of weathering which suggests that it predates the porch. Four indebts in the stone half way up on the right hand side fit the four figures of the hand - were these perhaps made by a lost soul seeking entry to the church? The door to the Church itself probably dates back to 15th century.
Passing through this door way one enters the south aisle,
which was built in 14th century. On the right hand side
are the national flags of Australia, New Zealand, Canada,
South Africa Airforce and the RAF proudly displayed before
a simple wooden cabinet which contains the RAF Book of
Remembrance for the members of No. 109 and No. 582 Squadrons
(the Path Finders) who flew from Little Staughton and
lost their lives. Further on, on the right hand side,
on the wall of the south aisle, is a stone memorial to
the Squadrons. Beyond that is the altar of the side chapel
which has a plain blue frontal with a stylised eagle in
the centre which was donated to the Church by the "Pathfinders" Association.
Looking to the left, there are some remnants of simple 18th century pews at the rear of the south aisle and attached to one is a small alms box or poor box on a baluster pedestal of the same period. If one looks carefully at it, one can see that it has been fitted with two locks - no doubt to ensure that a single key holder was not "lead into temptation"!
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