All Saints Church, Kingston upon Thames

Edward the Elder was crowned in Kingston in 900 at the Coronation Stone, as was his son Athelstan in 925. In the following years Kingston was the site of the consecrations of Edmund I in 940, Eadred in 946, Eadwig in 955, Edward the Martyr in 975 and, finally, Ethelred, who was crowned by Bishop Oswald of Worcester in 978. Outside the south door of the present building are some outlines marked by stones, which are all that remain of the Saxon church and chapel of St Mary. The present church was begun in 1120 under the orders of Henry I and has been developed since then. During the 14th century, the Norman nave was widened. The chancel and the chapels of the Holy Trinity to the north and St…

The church contains a 14th-century wall painting of St Blaise, a 17th-century marble font attributed to Sir Christopher Wren, twelve bells and an 18th-century carillon, the great west window of the 19th century, and the Frobenius organ installed in 1988. There are embroideries of four of the seven kings crowned in Kingston, made by Jacky Puzey to designs by Sophia Pearson with beading by Beatrice Mayfield of the Royal School of Needlework. These are: Æthelstan (924-939), first King of England. Crowned in Kingston in 925. Edmund (939-946), half brother of Athelstan. Known as a law maker. Captured the Vikings Raven banner 878. The stag is from a legend of how Edmund granted Glastonbury to…