A BASINGSTOKE church opened its doors last weekend to celebrate a milestone occasion.

All Saints’ Church, in Southern Road, is due to celebrate 100 years since the laying of the first brick for the church on July 15, 1915.

The church was built during the First World War and it was officially dedicated two years later while battles were being fought in Ypres, Cambrai and Passchendaele.

The £17,168 project was paid for by wealthy clergyman Reverend Alexander Titley Hall and the ‘gothic revival’ church was designed by well-known architect Temple Moore.

Other individual works of art inside the church include the ‘Angel’ windows by Cecil Collins and the head of Christ sculpture by Elisabeth Frink.

Members of the community, as well as church members, visited the church for an open day to celebrate the occasion.

Baptism and marriage registers, other information and pictures of the church were on show.

In addition, youngsters at the event could take part in a special church quiz and the Bishop of Basingstoke, Reverend Canon David Williams, spoke to those attending on his visit.

The bells at the church also rang for more than three hours to mark the celebration.

Rosalind Rutherford, who has been the reverend at the church since 2006, told The Gazette: “We thought we would celebrate the fact that 100 years ago they started building the church.

“What I hope we are really celebrating is that it is the people who are the foundation of the church.

“It is a wonderful community.

“In two years’ time we will be celebrating the full centenary of it being open as a church.”

The bishop praised the architecture of the “beautiful” church.

He added: “Basingstoke really needs to be proud of this church.

“What really makes a church is the people who come here.

“I have met so many people who have been part of this church from a few months to 50 or 60 years, so it is living history over lunch here today.”

To mark this milestone occasion, a service of thanksgiving and celebration is going to be led by the Archdeacon of Winchester, Michael Harley, at 10am on Sunday, July 19.