Church Of St Peter And St Paul

Church of St Peter and St Paul

This is a parish church with origins in the 12th century, with major additions and rebuilding across the 13th, 14th, 18th and 19th centuries. The church underwent substantial restoration in 1898. It is constructed of ashlar and dressed coursed rubble with slate roofs, the south aisle roof being hipped. The building is topped by coped roof finials to the east nave and east chancel, while the nave and porch feature kneelers and a single decorative ridge cross. External stacks are positioned on the south side of the east nave and west of the north aisle.

The church comprises a tower, nave with aisles, north porch, north vestry and chancel. The tower is diagonally buttressed and dates from the late 14th century, consisting of two stages with decorative bands. It sits on a plinth with a damaged moulded band above and is embattled with the remains of single corner pinnacles. The west side has a single arched 14th-century window containing three arched and cusped lights with reticulated tracery and a hood mould. The four bell chamber openings, positioned in the cardinal directions, each have two arched and cusped lights with cusped tracery. Below the north and south openings are single clock faces. The north and south sides of the tower have single rectangular lights.

The north aisle was widened in the late 19th century. Its west wall contains a single cavetto moulded 19th-century rectangular window. The buttressed aisle is set on a shallow plinth and features a re-set 13th-century chamfered pointed arched doorway with hood mould. Supporting this entrance are two flanking buttresses that carry a wooden and slate gabled hood. Adjacent is a single 19th-century four-light window with ashlar mullions. The early 19th-century clerestory contains three 19th-century rectangular windows with cavetto moulded surrounds.

The 19th-century vestry is set on a shallow plinth with a single pointed arched window in its east wall, featuring a hood mould and label stops.

The dressed coursed rubble 12th-century chancel is buttressed to the north, this buttress having been rebuilt in the 19th century. The north side displays a single restored 14th-century three-light window with arched and cusped lights, cusped tracery, hood mould and flat arch. The east chancel has a single restored 14th-century arched window containing three arched and cusped lights with cusped tracery and hood mould. The buttressed south chancel contains a single restored 13th-century lancet with hood mould. To the left is a chamfered pointed arched 13th-century doorway with hood mould and right label stop. Projecting from the far left is a 20th-century lean-to structure of breeze block and slate with an inner single rectangular two-light window with single ashlar mullion.

The south aisle was enlarged in the early 18th century. Its east wall holds a single restored 18th-century segmental arched four-light window with ashlar mullions. The buttressed south wall contains a similar window. The 19th-century porch to the left is set on a plinth with a cavetto moulded arched entrance surmounted by a shield with carved cross; the inner round arched doorway retains a panelled 18th-century double door. The west wall of the aisle is set on a plinth and has a single similar four-light window. A rainwater head here is dated 1898. The south clerestory matches the design of the north clerestory.

Interior

The interior features three-and-a-half bay early 14th-century nave arcades supported by octagonal columns and east responds. The arches are double chamfered with hood moulds towards the nave side. The tower arch is double chamfered to the arch only. The chancel arch is an unmoulded 12th-century example with imposts and hood mould; the east side features a flush relieving arch above. The north aisle connects to the north vestry via a chamfered segmental arch, whilst the north vestry and chancel connect through an arch now occupied by the organ.

The south chancel contains a blocked round arched 12th-century window with a blocked priest's doorway below it to the left. The north chancel preserves a small aumbry. A low chancel screen features decoratively carved and plain 17th-century panelling with small barley twist balusters further decorated with carved figures. An 18th-century panelled reredos incorporates some 19th-century decorative panels to the centre.

The font is a reconstructed 13th-century octagonal ashlar example on a pedestal. A 12th-century pillar piscina survives. A 17th-century pulpit displays decorative panelling. Choir stalls erected in 1925 incorporate decoratively carved 17th-century panelling with additional carved heads. Many 18th-century panelled box pews remain, supplemented by 19th-century examples. Some 18th-century panelling lines the south aisle. Eighteen-century turned altar rails are in place. A chair with 17th-century decoratively carved back is present, along with a 17th-century communion table featuring turned legs. A prie-dieu incorporates a 17th-century decoratively carved panel further decorated with figures.

The north aisle contains a reclining 14th-century figure said to represent Robert of Nottingham, with feet resting on a dog and remains of supporting angels at the head, accompanied by worn inscription around the edge. Adjacent are a carved ashlar head and small ashlar bowl. The nave floor bears a brass plaque to William Savile dated 1681. The north chancel has a board recording "Donations to the poor of the parish of Oxton" while the tower contains a board detailing the benefaction of Mr James Harvey, 1835. Five hatchments hang in the nave. The south aisle displays a George II Royal Arms altered to George III.