Church Of St Peter

The Church of St Peter is a red sandstone ashlar church, largely dating to the late 17th and 18th centuries. The chancel was built around 1695, the nave was finished in 1736, and the overall ground plan reflects a design from 1635. The church sits south west of Aston by Sutton C.P. on Aston Lane.

The 4-bay nave has porches on the second bay from the west, featuring round-arched doorways with nailed oak boarded doors, with "1736" inscribed on the north gable. The exterior features round-arched windows within architraves, with moulded cills, capitals and keystones. A moulded plinth is present, along with plain pilasters facing north and south at the corners, which carry a plain frieze touching the window keystones. A moulded cornice runs along the top, surmounted by a parapet with projecting panels at each corner, and at the centre of the north and south sides. The south porch features a raised console containing a sundial topped with a winged angel. A bell cupola projects from the west end, incorporating a circular window to a choir gallery, a clock in the upper stage, and consoles which support an octagonal belfry with a stone cupola.

The chancel has a plain rectangular plinth and rusticated quoins, a cornice and parapet, and a blank north face containing a boarded oak door set within a Roman Doric pedimented case. On the south side, three round-arched windows have reeded arrises to the reveals, but lack imposts or keystones. The circular east window has a niche on each side, featuring a raised panel and a recessed panel above.

Inside, a choir gallery, with an organ installed in 1906, is accessed by a staircase with 2 turned balusters per step, moulded rails and robust curtailings. Oak pews with panelled backs and doors on H hinges are present, as is an oak pulpit of 17th-century character. The chancel is accessed via a deep segmental arch with archivolts on imposts and a panelled intrados. An oak dado, also of 17th-century character, is located to the sides and east end of the chancel. The chancel rail is made of oak with turned balusters. An altar table, of 17th-century origin and with a vigorous design featuring deep ovolo faces and diagonally-set legs is also present. The ceiling is of moulded plaster with an oval-ended central panel. A significant collection of tablets within the chancel commemorates members of the Aston family between 1635 and 1839, including Thomas (died 1635), Magdalen (died 1635), Sir Willoughby Aston (1641-1702), Dame Rebecca (1737), and Sir Thomas Aston and his brother John, erected by their heir in 1697. A plaque in memory of Thomas Hibbert, steward to Sir Willoughby Aston, and 19th-century tablets are located in the nave. The church is a pleasing late 17th and early 18th-century structure. It was damaged by bombs during the Second World War and subsequently restored and reglazed. It features stop-chamfered spine beams with run-out stops.