Church of All Saints, Campton

Church of All Saints, Campton
Campton All Saints Church
Country	England
Denomination	Church of England
Architecture
Status	Parish church
Functional status	Active
Administration
Parish	Campton
Deanery	Ampthill & Shefford
Archdeaconry	Bedford
Diocese	St Albans
Clergy
Vicar(s)	Reverend Dean Henley

The Church of All Saints is the Anglican parish church in the village of Campton, Shefford, Bedfordshire, England. Its official title is Campton and Chicksands Parish and encompasses the villages of Campton and Chicksands and the nearby military base, despite the base having its own church dedicated to Saint Gilbert of Sempringham. The military church is a non-denominational church, so it is not a part of the Anglican parish.

The building has been Grade II* listed since 1966.

The church dates back to the 13th Century and was originally constructed from red sandstone hewn blocks. It has been added to and rebuilt many times over the last eight centuries, including the addition of the Osborn Mausoleum in 1649 and the Osborn Chapel in the same year (which forms the northern part of the church). Several of the Osborn crests and mottoes adorn the church which in Latin is 'Quantum in Rebus Inane,' and translates as 'What vanity in human affairs.'

The tower is 43 feet (13 m) high and 10 feet (3.0 m) wide and was added in the 15th century replacing part of the south aisle. The church was renovated in the late 19th century with the tower being rebuilt from well cut sandstone blocks. At this time the organ was installed and was believed to have been from Chicksands Priory.

Robert Bloomfield (1766 - 1823), the pastoral poet, is buried in the churchyard. Although he lived and died in Shefford, he is interred in Campton as the church in Shefford, was a Chapel of Ease (essentially a sub-church of All Saints as Parish church) and as such had no burial ground. The church at Shefford remained in the Campton parish up until 1903, when it gained a separate parish for itself. The first register for the church was started in 1568 and includes records for Campton-Cum-Shefford (as the Parish was known) up until 1812 when Shefford's own register was started. The Campton-Cum-Shefford parish registers are notable for events in the 18th century including two people who were ex-communicated for fornication.

The graveyard also contains one Commonwealth War Grave from the First World War.

The parish records note that there has been a rector officiating in the church since at least 1215. The history of the parish also has links into other parishes and certain redrawing of the boundaries. The church became a de facto head church when it was held in plurality with other parishes (IE when a rector officiates in two parishes). This has happened twice in the history of All Saints; between 1955 and 1976 when it was held in plurality with Shefford and from 1976 to 1982 when it was held in plurality with Meppershall and Stondon.