All Saints Parish Church

Built under the Church of Rome and following ancient Sutton parish roots at Saint Mary Magdalene, Anglican church leaders under their Southwell Diocese recognised growing needs to begin separately accommodating growing numbers of Hucknall-under-Huthwaite parishioners during the 19th century. The Sutton clergy influenced construction of Huthwaites first National school house which allowed Rev Bellairs to introduce Sunday services into this villa. But even 1873 funds to promote our own curate seem a slow reaction against strongly established Methodist factions already building village chapels.

Folklore maintained some belief that church foundations were initially laid sited over the former Huthwaite windmill atop Mill Lane, noted by L Lindley 1907. No evidence ever found supporting this theory, but, that prominent height could be seen being commonly favoured for allowing distant sighting of a parish steeple. Nevertheless it was Rev J B Hyde, Vicar of Sutton-in-Ashfield in 1896 who identified need and successfully adopted plans Proposed All Saints to establish Huthwaite with its own parish church.

The local Unwin-Heathcote family very generously donated a large Whitcome Plans land plot atop Common Road, while these proposed plans were drawn by Mr Whitcombe of London given its suitable site.

Both Duke and Duchess of Portland honoured ceremonial laying of foundations for this sacred edifice. A grand days occasion treated like a public holiday in Hucknall Huthwaite according to detailed reports 1902 Foundation Stone . The stone they laid into a west facing wall dates that occasion too 22 November 1902, its weathered inscription remaining visibly legible.

Doors into All Saints church were opened on Saturday 12 December 1903. That occasion was marked by a dedication service provided by Dr Ridding, Lord Bishop of Southwell diocese. Huthwaite was made a separate ecclesiastical parish April 1905 and this building consecrated that following 4th November by the Bishop of Derby, a Dr Were. He also incidently instituted Huthwaites first vicar named Francis Newbold Beswick, with whom our prospering mining village became a district chapelry into April 1906. The priest had been resident for some 6 years prior and the church interior displays memory of his services into 1918, plus a later plaque for the efforts of local miners.

Although church facing is of Mansfield stone, its base construction uniquely used a dense rock, freely dug and hauled off Deep Hard workings by coal miners at New Hucknall Colliery. Pit manager Simeon Watson additionally provided a pulpit, lectern and choir stalls. Rev W H Warrington supplied a processional cross.

Adding the donated albums of Dr Hill and Mrs Wallace, these earliest postcard scenes of All Saints Church date between 1905 to 1907 still addressing Hucknall Huthwaite. Often noted is the proportionally short bell tower, whereas proposed plans etched above did offer a taller structure traditionally befitting most parish churches. Old rumours suggest raised funds were lost, allegedly due one workers weakness for alcohol. No additional funding however, even for installing larger bells, ever seems to have materialised.

Comparable photographs reveal little external changes after 100 years loyal service. A fully enclosing stone wall later separated grounds from better surfaced roadway and pavements, and pictorial stained glass windows were fitted following more generous donations. Installation of a large organ did occur 1910, costing some £430 by Compton and Company. That opening conducted by Mr R W Liddle, organist for Southwell Minister, enabled Alban Wilders of Blackwell to begin his fuller appointed duties here as the All Saints Church choirmaster and organist at Huthwaite.

An adjacently sited vicarage faces Blackwell Road, although in 1934 Huthwaite parish reunited again with Sutton-in-Ashfield, also merging adjacent Teversal and Skegby. Perhaps our church exterior does offer less architectural interest than found among those older manors, but its stone construction will remind proud ex-miners of their local colliery heritage. Church Fayre 2002 with hall Following its major renovations, some families find All Saints church a central focus for community life, especially after adding its church hall. Lost by fire in October 2002 that dramatic event did not however dampen planned 2003 centenary celebrations and by twist of fate, all prayers were answered when newly welcoming its 2006 replacement.