Parish Church Of St Peter

The Parish Church of St Peter is a church built between 1839 and 1841, with alterations made from 1870 to 1880. Designed by R.D. Chantrell with Dr. W.F. Hook as vicar, the church features a plan with an equal-length chancel and nave, both having clerestories and tall aisles. A massive tower is located at the center of the north aisle, with a shallow chancel apse, a low outer north aisle, and a south transept. The church is designed in the Gothic Revival style and constructed from ashlar with slate roofs.

The exterior includes a main entrance beneath the tower, featuring massive oak doors with original ironwork. The design showcases generally Perpendicular tracery, a five-light east window, crocketed pinnacles, and turrets at the corners. The tower has panelled sides, a clock made by Potts of Leeds, a tall two-light belfry, openwork battlements, and crocketed pinnacles.

Inside, entry is into the crossing, leading to a long chancel with steps up to the sanctuary. The crossing and transepts are lierne-vaulted, while the apse is fan vaulted, all finished in plaster. The arcades feature moulded arches, and there are enormous galleries along the nave and chancel, with decorated canopies throughout, especially over the chancel stalls. Plaster is extensively used, painted to imitate stone and wood.

The east end includes a sanctuary with a marble arcade and fine mosaic work by Salviati of Venice, depicting life-size figures of the twelve apostles. The reredos, made of coloured marble and alabaster by G.E. Street, represents Christ in Glory flanked by saints, with cartoons by Clayton and Bell executed by Rust in 1888. The east window contains glass collected in continental Europe by J. Summers, which was given to the church in 1846. Additionally, there is a panelled memorial tomb of Dr. Hook, Dean of Chichester, designed by Sir G. Gilbert Scott in 1875.