Halifax, All Souls Church
Halifax, All Souls Church
A fabulous Victorian Gothic church on a grand scale, built by Sir George Gilbert Scott for Halifax industrialist Edward Ackroyd beginning in 1856. Scott claimed that it was the best church he ever designed, and it is easy to see why. The soaring spire seems ready to take flight.

It reaches 236 feet above the ground, and the beautiful proportions of the pinnacled tower and spire create one of the finest spectacles of the Victorian Gothic movement.

Aside from the striking tower, All Souls is composed of a large aisled nave, transepts, chancel, and vestries. The interior features richly coloured stained glass of the highest order by some of Victorian England's finest manufacturers, including the Hardman company and Clayton and Bell. There are superb woodwork and stone carvings throughout the church.

All Souls stands within the model estate built by Ackroyd, which included his own house and gardens, cottages for his factory workers, and a vicarage.

This wonderful 19th-century church is no longer in regular use and has been under the care of the Churches Conservation Trust since 1989. It is normally open daily to visitors.