All Saints’ Church is a late 18th-century elliptical church in Lower Pilgrim Street, Newcastle upon Tyne, England, which replaced a medieval church on the same site. All Saints’ Church is the third tallest religious building in Newcastle and the seventh tallest structure in the city overall. It is a Grade I listed building.
On Tuesday, 17 November 1789, the new church was consecrated by the Right Rev. Thomas Thurlow, Lord Bishop of Durham, and the opening sermon was preached by the Rev. Hugh Moises, morning lecturer of All Saints’ and head-master of the Grammar School. His text was from Leviticus xix: 30: Ye shall keep My Sabbaths and reverence My sanctuary. I am the Lord.
In 1881 the churchwardens called the public attention to the state of the church, and appealed for help to remedy it. Subscriptions were gathered in and the work of restoration was vigorously proceeded with. On 23 November 1881 the church was re-opened for public worship, and as at its first opening ninety-two years before, the ceremony was performed by the Bishop of Durham. The bishop of 1881 was Dr Joseph Barber Lightfoot, great grandson of a Newcastle citizen, Joseph Barber, the bookseller of Amen Corner, who was probably present at the opening of the church in 1789.
The last burial in it, that of Joseph Garnett (by special Act of Parliament), took place in 1862.
About the end of 1881 Richard S. Donkin of Campville, North Shields, a wealthy shipowner, whose place of business was close by the old church, made a handsome offer to improve the graveyard at his own expense. This offer was thankfully accepted by the parishioners, and early in 1882 the work was proceeded with. Many other generous gifts were at the same time made to the church, but we will only mention one more, that of the presentation of the new clock by Mr John Hall, another Newcastle merchant. It was formally set going and illuminated on the evening of 3 February 1882. On the occasion an address was presented to Mr. Hall by Mr. Joseph Cowen, M.P. for the town, on behalf of the people of the parish. In presenting this address Mr. Cowen, standing on the steps of the church, made a speech to the assembled people who crowded below to the number of about ten thousand.
The church was deconsecrated in 1961, and converted to offices/auditorium in 1983-84. The church is still open to the public and is by no means derelict. The church is currently (2010) used by the Church of Saint Willibrord with All Saints, a member of The Old Catholic Church Anglican Diocese. It has also hosted musical events. Following flooding damage over the 2009/2010 and 2010/2011 winters the building has been left in a state of semi-disrepair and is not able to be used as much, pending the damage being fixed, although Sunday service takes place. In 2015 it was on the buildings at risk register.