Church Of St Peter And St Paul

SK 80 SE WING TOP STREET (South side)

4/160 Church of St. Peter St. Paul 10.11.55

GV II*

Medieval parish church, part of the fabric dates from the mid-cl2, but externally much is a Victorian restoration in perpendicular style. All coursed iron stone rubble. West Tower, nave with clerestory and aisles, chancel. Tower is butressed, of three stages, with a 2-light tracered opening to bell chamber, and a quatrefoil frieze below an embattled parapet, probably early C14. South aisle and clerestory are of banded rubble, the aisle has paired lancets to west beneath a round arched hoodmould. There is a string course and an ashlar course above the windows, which have squared hoodmoulds. It was rebuilt in 1885. Paired foiled lights to clerestory, perpendicular. Chancel was rebuilt in 1875 and is also of banded rubble, with stone tiled roof and cresting and eastern coped gable with cross. Traceried windows. North aisle has lancet to west, but other windows are decorated; late C12 north door; round arch on slim piers with delicate capitals and bands, hollow chamfered and roll moulded arch in gabled porch of 1884.

Inside, the nave is of three bays, and the south arcade is the earliest part (mid-C12); round arches have a zig-zag decoration, and roll moulding, and are supported on round piers with square bases and abaci with fluted decoration to capitals. The north arcade is slightly later; the round piers are more slender, the arches double chamfered. The abaci are octagonal, the fluted decoration of the capitals has developed in waterleaf. The western most arch on each side disappears into the west wall, presumably because the later building of the tower encroached on the body of the Church. Clerestory windows are paired lights set in triangular heads. Roof is Victorian; sturdy chamfered timberwork. Chancel arch is probably early C13; early English pointed and triple chamfered, springing from corbels rather than piers. Rood door to south. The chancel itself is Victorian with a low stone screen and open work timber pulpit. Stone sedile and piscina Windows in decorated style, the east window set in a tall recess; decorative banded stonework to east wall. Two arches to north give way to vestry.

Furnishings include an undecorated font, octagonal on an octagonal base, probably C12 or C13, and some stained glass of c1900.

Listing NGR: SK8937202979