Church Of Saint Mary And Saint Peter

Church of Saint Mary and Saint Peter

A parish church of multiple building phases spanning from the late 12th century to the early 15th century. The nave north arcade dates to the late 12th century, with the south arcade and south aisle added in the early 13th century. The tower was constructed in the early 14th century, followed by the chancel south arcade and south chapels around 1325–1350. The tower bell stage, spire and clerestorey were completed in the late 14th century, with the east end finished around 1400 and the north chapel and north aisle added in the early 15th century. The south porch was rebuilt in 1858 during extensive restoration work. Further heavy restoration was carried out in 1890 by John Oldrid Scott.

The church comprises a chancel with side chapels, a nave with clerestorey and aisles, a south porch, and a west tower with spire. It is constructed of coursed squared ironstone and limestone ashlar with ashlar dressings and lead roofs, executed in the Perpendicular style. The building features a moulded plinth, sill band and buttresses throughout, with windows having hood moulds or label moulds.

The chancel and side chapels have a string course, crenellations with pinnacles, and a coped east gable. The east end displays a central segmental pointed 5-light window with transom, flanked to the north by a pointed arched 4-light window with intersecting tracery and to the south by a smaller 3-light window. The south side has two wide Tudor arched windows, the eastern with 2 groups of 3 lights and the western with 5 lights, beneath which is a 4-centred arched door. The north side has a central flat-headed window flanked by pointed arched windows, all of 3 lights.

The clerestorey has a coped parapet and east gable with cross. On each side are four segmental pointed 2-light windows with panel tracery. The south aisle comprises 5 bays with flat-headed windows, three of 3 lights and one to the west of 2 lights. The north aisle has a string course and crenellations, with three 3-light flat-headed windows. Between the western pair is a pointed arched doorway with hood mould and finial. The west end has a similar window. The south porch has a coped parapet and gable with cross, a pointed arched doorway with hood mould and shafts, and on each side a traceried flat-headed 2-light window. The interior features a moulded doorway with shafts and a low-pitched roof.

The square west tower is in four stages with clasping buttresses to the lower stages and angle buttresses above. It has a crenellated parapet with corner pinnacles. An octagonal crocketed spire is set back above, with a single tier of lucarnes and finial. The lowest stage has a Decorated 2-light window to the west without hood mould. Above are single lancets on each side, and above again a 2-light window with tracery on each side. The bell stage has a 2-light opening with panel tracery and transom on each side.

The interior is rendered with a mid-19th century low-pitched arch-braced roof with angel corbels to the nave and chancel. Similar lean-to roofs extend to the aisles and chapels. The chancel has a double-chamfered arch with chamfered responds and crenellated caps. A late 19th-century Perpendicular screen is present. The east window, dating to around 1870, is flanked by canopied niches with 19th-century figures. The south side has a 2-bay arcade with double-chamfered arches and demi-shafts to the centre pier, and 19th-century traceried screens. The north side has a similar arcade with a quatrefoil central pier. The south chapel east window, dating to around 1916, is flanked by canopied niches. Below, to the left, is a blocked 4-centred arched door. The south side contains a piscina and aumbry with crest, a restored crocketed tomb recess, a stoup and a doorway. The north chapel east window has a canopied niche to the left and a bracket to the right, with a piscina on the south-east side.

The nave north arcade comprises 4 bays with a section of wall between the western bays. It has chamfered arches and round piers, with a ribbed leaf capital to the east pier. The south arcade has double-chamfered arches with hood mould and mask stops, and octagonal piers. The double-chamfered tower arch has octagonal responds and a 20th-century Perpendicular screen. The south aisle has at its east end a Tudor arched doorway to the rood loft, with another doorway above and a square double aumbry. At the west end is a reduced opening with a pointed arched door into the west bay. The north aisle has a moulded arch with round shafts at the east end.

Fittings include a recut octagonal font dating to around 1400, and an octagonal ashlar pulpit of 1869. Chairs, stalls and other furnishings date to the late 19th and 20th centuries. A stained glass west window dates to around 1892, with stained glass in the south aisle dating to around 1860 and a north aisle window to around 1888. Stained glass is by Powell & Sons, the chancel east window by Ward & Hughes, the south aisle window by Cox & Sons.

Memorials include a restored canopied niche in the north chapel with two alabaster figures dating to the early 15th century, and a similar empty niche in the south chapel. Two 18th-century tablets with crests and aprons are present, along with a marble-topped chest tomb of 1682 to Daniel de Ligne. Two marble and slate tablets and Royal arms in quatrefoil date to the early 19th century.