Tudeley, All Saints Church

All Saints Church, Tudeley

All Saints Church, Tudeley, boasts an outstanding set of stained-glass windows designed by the Russian artist, Marc Chagall. As for the church itself, the oldest part of the building dates to before the Norman Conquest, though much of what we see today is the result of an 18th-century rebuilding in brick.

History

The first church at Tudeley probably existed as early as the 7th century, but the oldest parts of the present building are the foundations of the tower and nave, both of which date to the late Saxon period. The church was recorded in the Domesday Book of 1086, when it was called Tivedale.

Most the building we see today was erected in the 18th century. The red-brick tower was built in 1765, as was the church ceiling. The north aisle is a later addition, added in 1871.

The church is composed of a nave, chancel, north aisle, and west tower, with entrance through a south porch.

The Stydolf brasses, 1475

Historical Highlights

Aside from the stunning Chagall windows, the most interesting historical highlights are a pair of memorial brasses of Thomas Stydolf and his wife, circa 1475. On the north wall of the chancel is a memorial to George Fane (d 1571). This takes the form of a tomb chest with a canopy above, still retaining some Tudor colour. There are also two 18th-century wall tablets, one on either side of the south door.

The communion rail dates to the 18th century, though the hand rail may be later. The pulpit has 17th-century panels inserted in a more modern frame. The font probably dates to the Victorian period.

The tower ceiling has its original 18th-century timber beams.

The stunning east window

Marc Chagall Windows

In 1967 Sir Henry and Lady D'Avigdor Goldsmid commissioned Marc Chagall to create a stained glass window in memory of their daughter, Sarah, who drowned in a tragic sailing accident 1963, when she was just 21 years old. The D'Avigdor Goldsmid family lived at Somerhill, outside Tudeley (now in use as a school).

The story goes that when Chagall visited the church, he was so struck by the beauty of the architecture that he asked to be allowed to create new stained glass designs for all the remaining windows. To create these windows he worked with the glassmaker Charles Marq of Reims, France.

Seven windows in the aisle and nave followed in 1974 and the four chancel windows in 1985. Windows on the south wall of the church are primarily in yellow, while those on the north are primarily blue. The four chancel windows are also primarily blue.

Marc Chagall signature

Replacing the chancel windows with Chagall's designs was controversial at the time, because the windows already boasted colourful Victorian memorial window glass. These four memorial windows were carefully removed and now form part of backlit viewing boxes in the vestry.

In total, Chagall designed twelve windows for Tudeley Church, with the designs spaning eighteen years. The final four windows were installed just before Chagall's death, when the artist was 97 years old.

The Goldsmid memorial window shows a girl floating in the sea at the base, with mourning figures surrounding her. Above is a crucifixion scene, with a horse rearing at the base of the cross. The base of the window is primarily blue, representing the sea, and the uppewr section of the window is primarily yellow.

What makes the Chagall windows even more striking is that the church interior has been intentionally kept plain, ensuring that your attention goes to the richly-coloured windows. They are all at eye-level, so you can see the artist's work up close, even down to the marks made on the glass by Chagall after the glass had been installed.

Chagall window in the south wall

Tudeley Church is the only church in England with a complete set of windows designed by Chagall. Chagall was better known as a painter, but he did create stained glass for Chichester Cathedral.

The Tudeley windows were inspired by verses 4-8 of Psalm 8, which reads, in part:

'What is man that you are mindful of him, the son of man that you care for him? You made him a little lower than the heavenly beings and crowned him with glory and honor.'

In the churchyard is a prayer labyrinth made of turf pathways across the grass. The labyrinth is design is inspired by the decoration of a fountain in Damascus, Syria.

The church interior, looking east

Visiting

Tudeley Church is located at the end of a lane off the B2017 (Five Oak Green Road), just west of Tonbridge. There is a large car park directly outside the churchyard. The church is open daily and was open when we visited.