Church Of St Peter

The Church of St Peter was built in 1822/28, designed by Ignatius Bonomi. Later additions include a 5th bay to the nave in 1848, and a chancel, chapels, and vestries in 1899/1929 by Moscrop. It was restored and altered by R. Simms in 1978. The church is constructed of dressed sandstone with Welsh slate roofs, and comprises a nave, aisled chancel, south and east vestries, a west tower, and a boiler house located on the south side of the tower. It is in the Gothick style.

The three-stage west tower has angle buttresses with offsets, culminating in four embattled octagonal turrets that rise above an embattled parapet. A renewed glazed door, set within a chamfered four-centred surround and squared hoodmould, is located in the west face. A similar surround is present to the window on the second stage. Trefoil-headed two-light bell openings with louvres, the south and west faces of which have been altered, are set into the tower. Clock faces are visible in the north and west openings.

The five-bay nave has a plain plinth and offset buttresses rising to an embattled parapet, above a string course. The western bays feature windows above north and south doorways, set within chamfered surrounds and squared hoodmoulds which continue as sill strings. The south doorway is now blocked; the north doorway contains a renewed glazed door. All openings have four-centred heads. The windows have chamfered mullions and transoms, trefoil-headed upper lights, battered sills, and renewed leaded glazing. Similar windows are on the west wall of the nave. The two-bay chancel is slightly higher than the nave, and the aisles and vestries have flat roofs.

Inside, the church features a two-tier queenpost roof with moulded queenposts, arched braces, and angle struts to the lower section of the trusses. A panelled ceiling lies above the lower collars. The chancel has a panelled barrel roof with painted and gilded bosses. A chamfered pointed chancel arch, flanked by similar arches to the chapels, provides access to the chancel. Two-bay chancel arcades are also present, along with a west gallery featuring a painted panelled front. A reredos, dating from 1939 and created by Leslie Moore, made by Thompson (Kilburn), features carved traceried heads and ornamental surrounds to seven painted and gilded panels depicting saints, the Virgin, and infant Christ. It is flanked by linenfold panelling. Stained glass by H. Grylls from 1939 is found in the east window.

The church holds importance as a local landmark.