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All Saints Church in North Moreton consists of a chancel 35 ft. 7 in. by 21 ft. 10 in., south chapel 36 ft. 5 in. by 17 ft. 5 in., nave 44 ft. 9 in. by 21 ft. 11 in., south aisle 45 ft. 9 in. by 10 ft. 4 in., west tower 11 ft. 9 in. by 10 ft. 5 in. and south porch. All these dimensions are internal.

No portion of the present structure is anterior to the 13th century, but a single richly carved voussoir, of a late 12th-century semicircular arch, now preserved in the south chapel, is, with the 12th-century font, testimony to the existence of a 12th-century church on this site. The oldest parts of the existing church are the re-used west respond of the south arcade of the chancel and a capital built into the south wall of the aisle, which is used as a corbel to support the arch leading from the south chapel to the aisle. These are of the early 13th century and must have formed part of a church of much the same general plan as at present. The church was almost wholly rebuilt about 1270, and on 28 March 1299 Sir Miles de Stapleton obtained licence to alienate certain lands in mortmain for the maintenance of two priests to serve his chantry of St. Nicholas, which was the south chapel rebuilt, enlarged, and extended eastward at this time. After an interval of some fifteen years or longer, the south aisle was rebuilt, not, as had been originally intended, to line with the south chapel, but on a somewhat narrower scale. A little later new windows were inserted in the north wall of the nave, and the western tower was rebuilt, but its west door, parapet, and windows are of the 15th century. The south porch is modern, by Street, who also restored the church in 1858. The walling is of flint with oolite stone dressings. The chapel and south aisle are roofed with lead, and the other roofs are tiled.

The east window of the chancel is of a beautiful design, which is repeated at Basildon, and is therefore probably the work of a local architect. It has three lights. The central light incloses a cinquefoiled pointed head, and the two side lights have similar heads, trefoiled, below large open trefoils in pointed heads. The two windows in the north wall are each of two uncusped lights with intersecting tracery in a two-centred head. A similar window at the east end of the south wall is now unglazed and opens into the south chapel. On its sill is a piscina of a form unusual for the date, the cinquefoiled basin being in the top of the moulded capital of a small shaft built against the wall-face, while the drain passes down the shaft. Westward of this window is an arcade of two bays with pointed arches. The central pier is circular, and the eastern respond is a half-round, and both have boldly moulded capitals and bases. The west respond is a complete column built into the south wall of the chancel; this was probably part of the early 13th-century south arcade of the chancel, and was moved into its present position during the rebuilding of 1270. It has a beautifully sculptured foliated capital and a 'water-holding' base. The walls of the chancel are covered with modern paintings. The pointed chancel arch is of two chamfered orders, the inner carried on semicircular responds with moulded capitals and bases, differing on the two sides, while the jambs of the outer order are continuously chamfered.

The south chapel has an east window of five trefoiled lights surmounted by fine geometrical tracery in a high two-centred head. This window is filled with magnificent 14th-century glass, of which a detailed description is given below. On either side of the window, internally, is a semi-octagonal image bracket, of which the lowest member is in the form of a ball-flower. In the south wall are three large windows, each of three trefoiled lights with geometrical tracery above in a pointed head, and having an external hood mould with headstops. The central window differs in the tracery from the others, having intersecting mullions. In the west wall, high up, is a window of three lights of similar detail to that of the central south window. At the western end of the south wall is a small doorway with a two-centred head. In the eastern jamb of the south-east window is an angle piscina, having two richly moulded ogee-headed arches, with a pierced vesica between the heads, inclosed in a two-centred hood mould enriched with ball-flower, and supported by a circular shaft and semicircular responds, all with moulded capitals and bases. Between the window opening at the east end of the north wall and the easternmost bay of the arcade is a large clumsy bracket about 2 ft. from the ground. Its purpose is uncertain, and it may be a portion of the earlier structure of the 13th century. The arch leading to the aisle is of the same detail as those of the arcade between the chancel and chapel, and dies into the south wall of the chancel on the north side, except at the extremity of the eastern face, where it is stopped by the capital of the western respond of the arcade. On the south side it rests on a corbel, apparently a capital re-used, carved with stiff foliation similar to that of the early 13th-century western respond of the arcade. The low-pitched roof is of the 15th century, in four bays, with moulded four-centred trusses and moulded ridges. Externally the chapel has a string-course running below the windows and forming the projecting portion of their sills. The east wall has a low gable with a modern cross, and along the top of the south wall is a moulded cornice with a stone parapet above it, and in the broad hollow of the cornice are carved a dog, a cat, a grotesque, a wyvern, a rabbit, a human-headed beast, and a wolf. The roof is leaded.

In the north wall of the nave are two 14th-century windows with two-centred heads, the eastern of three trefoiled lights with reticulated tracery, and the western of two trefoiled lights with a quatrefoil above. Between them is a blocked doorway of the same date, with a segmental rear arch and wave-moulded external angles. Above the doorway are two grotesque masks built into the interior wall. Over the chancel arch on either side are two plain corbels, which may have served to support the timbers of a bellcote. Between the second and third bays of the south arcade of the nave is a similar corbel at a lower level. The arcade is of four bays with pointed arches of two chamfered orders. They are supported by three circular columns with moulded capitals and bases, and by carved respond corbels carrying the inner order, the outer order being continuous at the extremities of the arcade. Both these corbels are carved, the eastern as the head of a man and the western, which is defaced, as that of a woman wearing a wimple. They are surmounted by semi-octagonal moulded abaci.

The two windows in the south wall of the aisle are each of two cinquefoiled lights with a quatrefoil above in a pointed head. Between them is the south doorway, which has a two-centred head and a two-centred low rear arch. At the east end of the south wall is a small trefoil-headed piscina with a cinquefoiled basin. The small west window of the aisle is of two trefoiled lights, and is set high in the wall. The walls are built of alternate bands of flint and dressed stone, and have a plain parapet with a moulded string below.

The tower, which is of two stages, with a delicate parapet of open quatrefoils, stands on a moulded plinth. The pointed tower arch is of two hollow-chamfered orders the inner supported by corbel shafts standing on carved heads and having semi-octagonal capitals of bold projection with sides alternately flat and concave. The west door is of the late 15th century, and has a four-centred arch in a square head, both moulded with a hollow chamfer. The spandrels are filled by cusped circles. Over the square head is a moulded label. The rear arch is of a low two-centred form. Above the doorway is a west window of three trefoiled lights with vertical tracery in a pointed head. The inner jambs are wave moulded. In all four walls of the bell-chamber are square-headed windows of two cinquefoiled lights. Below the parapet is a moulded string with heads at the angles.

The plain tub font is of the 12th century.

The early 14th-century glass of the east window of the south chapel is of the highest interest and beauty. It is contemporary with the completion of the chapel, and is in remarkably fine preservation. Apart from the filling of the tracery, which consists of three shields (two now blank, and the middle one containing the upper half only of the sable lion of Stapleton turned to the sinister) and of the Stapleton badge, an eight-pointed golden star on a black roundel, many times repeated, the design consists of fifteen panels, three in each light, separated by elaborate architectural canopy designs in gold on a ruby ground. The design of the uppermost canopy in each light includes the representation of a window of four lights, with tracery in white on black. These 'windows' are intact in the three northern lights, but in the two southern they have been lost and are replaced by plain glass. The fifteen panels contain scenes in connexion with St. Nicholas, St. Peter, our Lord, St. Paul and the Blessed Virgin Mary. Very few of the figures are injured, but many of the faces have been knocked out, and are restored with plain flesh-pink glass. The backgrounds have been restored to some extent, and the figures in two of the panels of the fourth light are considerably damaged. The surviving faces are singularly well drawn, and both design and colour are very fine. The lowest compartment in the northernmost light contains the Conversion of St. Paul, perhaps transferred to this place from the fourth light, its proper position. St. Paul, whose face is gone, falls from his horse, which is on its knees, in the foreground. Behind him is a companion, with his hands clasped, in an attitude of adoration; the face of this figure is intact. In the upper left corner is the figure of our Lord in clouds, much defaced. St. Paul and his companion are clad in banded mail with reinforced steel caps. The figure of St. Paul has a sword, and grasps an uncertain object, perhaps a writing tablet, in his right hand. On the headstall of St. Paul's horse hangs a little trapping shield with a cross on it. The next compartment above contains St. Nicholas (to whom this light probably belongs as the invocatory saint of the chapel) raising the murdered children from the pickle-tub. Three hams hang from a beam above him. His hand is raised in benediction, and he wears a mitre and a green cope. In the top compartment St. Nicholas in a yellow cloak dispenses alms through a wall to the two poor women by night. The faces of St. Nicholas and that of one of the women are intact.

The second light is devoted to St. Peter. The lowest compartment represents the miraculous draught. St. Peter in a blue tunic kneels on the left, with a net in his hand and fish about him in the foreground, while behind him is a boat. On the right our Lord, in a brown robe and red cloak and holding a book in His left hand, gives benediction with His right hand. Above, St. Peter on the left, in a red tunic and white cloak, receives the keys from our Lord, who has a cruciform nimbus and holds a book in His left hand. The top compartment shows the martyrdom of St. Peter. An executioner on either side nails his feet to a green Latin cross. One wears a red loincloth and the other a green cloak and yellow hose.

The centre light contains the Scourging, the Crucifixion, and the Resurrection of our Lord. In the lowest compartment our Lord, with a cruciform nimbus, is bound to the column, with a scourger on either side. In the middle light the Blessed Virgin Mary, in white and green, stands on the right, and St. John in a red cloak on the left of the cross. The scroll on the cross is defaced. In the uppermost light our Lord, in red, giving benediction and holding a cross and banner in the left hand, rises from the tomb, with a kneeling figure on either side.

The next light contains the consecration of St. Nicholas (?), a doubtful subject, possibly Salome receiving the head of St. John Baptist, and the decollation of St. Paul or of St. John Baptist. It appears probable that the lowest compartment does not belong to this series at all, but has been brought here from one of the other windows, as it is shorter than all the rest, the space below it being filled with fragments of 14th-century glass. Possibly the same may apply to the compartment representing the conversion of St. Paul in the northernmost light, in which case the two upper compartments in this light need not be referred to St. Paul, but may represent St. John Baptist.

The lowest compartment contains a man on a blue throne or stool, with a figure on either side, the figure on the left holding a crozier, while the other holds his right hand in benediction. The face of the figure on the right is intact, but the whole panel is so damaged as to be obscure. The compartment above is also much damaged and has been restored. A figure of a man on the left holds a large sword, and one on the right, in a long yellow robe (probably restored) and wearing a golden crown, holds out his (or her) hands. It has been suggested that this represents St. Paul before Agrippa, but without probability. In the top compartment an executioner strikes with a large sword at a kneeling figure in a yellow robe.

The southernmost light contains the death, the burial, and the assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary. In the bottom compartment the Virgin lies on a bed in the foreground; the face is intact. In the background on the right is our Lord, with a cruciform nimbus, and wearing a blue robe and red cloak. Behind Him is St. James, and before Him on the left St. Peter with a key, and St. John with a book. In the middle compartment the miraculous cure of the cripple at the burial of the Virgin is represented. Two figures, one in green and one in white, walk from left to right carrying the bier, while the diminutive figure of the cripple, in white, kneels below the bier and reaches up his hands to touch it. In the top compartment is the Blessed Virgin Mary in a vesica, supported by angels, and having another kneeling figure below.

In the north-east window of the nave is some 14th-century glass. The quatrefoil in the head has a figure, probably of St. John Baptist, holding a cross with a crimson banner attached. The flesh is very dark in tint, and the figure wears a white waist-cloth. Marks on the feet faintly resembling wounds have led to the description of the figure as that of the Risen Lord; but these marks are extremely faint, if indeed they exist. In the heads of the two lights below are some fragments of foliated black and white glass in a red border. In the quatrefoil of the easternmost window of the south aisle is a figure of our Lord on the cross, with a scroll inscribed 'Iesus Nazarenus'; the figure is sunk on the cross. In the westernmost window of the aisle are some made-up fragments of glass of the same date, with a dark blue Latin cross, made up of pieces of border-glass with the Stapleton star at the intersection, on a background of black and white foliated fragments in the quatrefoil, and in the heads of the lights diapered glass with a red border.

In the floor of the chancel are several mediaeval tiles collected from various parts of the church. On the large bracket in the chapel is a 12th-century voussoir with bird's-beak ornament. On the floor of the chapel are three 13th-century tomb slabs. Two have foliated crosses, but the third is completely worn down.

Two brasses formerly kept in the church chest are now preserved at the vicarage; one is that of Thomas Mayne of North Moreton, yeoman, who died in 1479, with a plate of his four sons, one of whom was a priest, while the other is that of James Leaver, 1629.

Lying outside the west wall of the aisle are considerable fragments of a fine ogee-headed canopy of a late 14th-century tomb recess. These are said to have come from South Moreton, where before the restoration of the church a tomb recess in the south wall of the aisle was used as a fireplace.

There is a ring of five bells: the treble is inscribed, 'Love God 1641'; the second is by Thomas Mears, 1817; the third is inscribed, 'Richard Slade Francis Leaver C.W. 1684'; the fourth, 'Sancta Maria' in Gothic capitals; and the tenor, 'Blessed be the name of the lorde, Joseph Carter 1591.' There is also a sanctus bell dated 1757, but without any maker's name or mark.

The plate is modern and consists of a silver-gilt chalice and paten of 1858.

The registers previous to 1812 are as follows: (i) baptisms 1558 to 1735, marriages 1562 to 1730, burials 1558 to 1729; (ii) baptisms 1736 to 1812, marriages 1731 to 1754, burials 1735 to 1812; (iii) marriages 1754 to 1812. In the first volume is a contemporary entry recording the death of Queen Elizabeth. There is also a volume of churchwardens' accounts from 1713 to 1730. There is an overseers' book for 1717. The Inclosure Award of 1849 and tithe maps of 1842 and 1850 are at the vicarage.

Historical information about All Saints Church is provided by 'Parishes: North Moreton', in A History of the County of Berkshire: Volume 3, ed. P H Ditchfield and William Page (London, 1923), pp. 492-498. British History Online http://www.british-history.ac.uk/vch/berks/vol3/pp492-498 [accessed 27 March 2023].

All Saints Church is a Grade I listed building. For more information about the listing see CHURCH OF ALL SAINTS, North Moreton - 1181258 | Historic England.

For more information about All Saints Church see Parishes: North Moreton | British History Online (british-history.ac.uk).