Langley's Church of All Saints and Martyrs named a Historic England highlight of 2021

The Church of All Saints and Martyrs in Langley is home to a remarkable piece by renowned sculptor Geoffrey Clarke

The Grade-II listed Church of All Saints and Martyrs, Langley, has been named as one of Historic England’s highlighted heritage sites listed this year.

All Saints and Martyrs Church became a listed building on 4 June 2021 and has now been put on the Building at Risk Register by Historic England.

The Wood Street church was built between 1963 and 1964, designed by Albert Hilton Walker of Leach, Rhodes & Walker of Manchester. After the Second World War, suburban growth, coupled with bomb damage, stimulated demand for new churches.

The focus of a large post-war housing estate, All Saints was commissioned to serve a population who had been shifted wholesale due to inner-city slum clearances. It is a visually dramatic building – with a prow-like west end facing the road and with a full-height window set at zig-zag angles.

It is brick-built, with a concrete frame featuring a geometrical pattern of intersecting concrete crossbeams to the interior, and was conceived to be a dual-purpose, flexible space to cater for worship and church-hall activities.

As with the contemporary Coventry Cathedral, its design showcases high-quality modern artwork. Geoffrey Clarke, notable post-war sculptor who had created distinctive artworks at Coventry Cathedral, created the impressive Langley Cross for the church. Encompassing the full height of the east end, the impact and quality of the aluminium Cross dominates the interior.

The church’s attached polygonal chapel is now home to a recently relocated First World War memorial commemorating those lost from the parish, unusually listed street by street.

The spire – known as a fleche – of the church collapsed on the last weekend of October, believed to be due to old age and bad weather.
 

Read more: Appeal to fix collapsed spire of Grade-II listed Langley churchPublished: 21 November 2021

Heritage Minister, Nigel Huddleston said: "Listing these significant historic sites means we can protect our valuable heritage for future generations to learn from and ensure they are on the map for local people and visitors to be proud of and enjoy.

“This year's entries on to the list span the length and breadth of the country and have something to inspire everyone." 

Chief Executive of Historic England, Duncan Wilson said: “These wonderful historic sites are now protected for future generations, and we encourage people to apply for listing, or share their photos and videos of listed sites, through our website.”