Church Of St Peter

Church of St Peter

This parish church dates from the 12th century with significant additions and alterations spanning the late 13th, 14th, 16th, and 19th centuries. The building was restored in 1598 and again in the late 19th century. It is constructed of coursed rubble and ashlar with render, and comprises a nave, aisles, chapel, vestry and chancel, all with parapets. A single ridge crosses to the east end of the nave and chancel. The church is buttressed throughout.

The diagonally buttressed tower stands on a chamfered plinth of 3 stages with bands and is embattled with 8 crocketed pinnacles. The west side has a single window with 3 arched lights under a flat arch with dripmould. Above is an ashlar panel inscribed "This was done Ano 1598....". The south side has a single window with 2 arched lights under a flat arch with flush ashlar quoin surround, and above is a single rectangular stair light. In the bell chamber are 4 openings, each with 2 arched lights under a flat arch and dripmould.

The north aisle stands on a chamfered plinth. Its west wall has a single 19th-century 3-light window with cusped panel tracery under a segmental pointed arch with flush ashlar quoin surround and hood mould. The north wall features a 12th-century round-arched doorway with blocked tympanum, with evidence of 12th-century herringbone masonry nearby. To the left are two 19th-century 2-light windows with cusped panel tracery under segmental pointed arches with flush ashlar quoin surrounds, hood moulds and label stops.

The vestry stands on a chamfered plinth with a single diagonal buttress to the east. It has a single restored 14th-century 2-light window with ogee-arched and cusped lights and tracery, under a segmental pointed arch with hood mould and label stops. Below this runs a sill band extending the length of the north wall, broken by a moulded arched doorway with hood mould and label stops to the left of the window. The east end of the vestry, also with continuous sill band, has a single similar restored 2-light window with flush ashlar quoin surround, hood mould and label stops. The clerestory has 3 restored segmental pointed-arched 14th-century windows, each with 2 ogee-arched and cusped lights, tracery, hood mould, label stops and flush ashlar quoin surround. To the right of the central window is a single carved human head.

The diagonally buttressed chancel stands on a chamfered plinth with a moulded band over. The 19th-century arched east window has 3 lights with cusped panel tracery, a single transom with blind tracery under, flush ashlar quoin surround, hood mould, label stops and stepped continuous sill band. The south chancel has a single restored 14th-century segmental pointed-arched window with 2 ogee-arched and cusped lights, tracery, flush ashlar quoin surround, hood mould and right label stop.

The south chapel stands on a chamfered plinth. Its east wall has a single 19th-century segmental pointed-arched 2-light window with cusped panel tracery, flush ashlar quoin surround, hood mould and label stops. The south wall has a single restored segmental pointed-arched 14th-century window with 2 ogee-arched and cusped lights, tracery, flush ashlar quoin surround, hood mould and label stops.

The south aisle's south wall has 2 14th-century segmental pointed-arched windows, each with 2 arched and cusped lights, flush ashlar quoin surround, hood mould and label stops, with a continuous sill band beneath. A gabled south porch with plain tile roof and single ridge cross has a double chamfered arched entrance with an inner chamfered arched doorway having a hood mould. The west wall of the south aisle has a segmental pointed-arched 14th-century window with 2 arched and cusped lights, flush ashlar quoin surround, hood mould and label stops. The south clerestory corresponds to the north in design but lacks the carved head.

Interior

The interior has a 3-bay nave arcade with double chamfered arches and hood mould to the north side, rebuilt in 1897 with compound piers of 4 attached shafts with moulded capitals. To the east is an octagonal respond; to the west a moulded capital. The late 13th-century south arcade west pier is circular with 4 attached colonnettes and moulded capitals. The east pier has 4 attached shafts alternating with 4 keeled shafts with fillets, all with moulded capitals. The east respond has a circular column with fillet and 2 engaged colonnettes. The west has a single moulded capital with remnants of a circular column with fillet supported on a corbel.

A moulded tower arch has its inner arch order supported on single corbels. A double chamfered 19th-century chancel arch has its inner chamfer supported on single corbels, with hood mould over. The north aisle and north vestry have a chamfered arch. The south aisle and south chapel have a double chamfered arch. Chamfered arches separate the chancel from the north vestry and south chapel. To the left of the south chapel arch is a small pointed chamfered arch. The south chancel wall contains an arched piscina, and the north wall has a moulded arched doorway with hood mould. The south wall of the south aisle has an arched piscina.

The tower contains a 17th-century staircase with fretted balusters. An octagonal font with an elaborate 19th-century canopy is present, along with 19th-century furniture.

Monuments include a tablet to William Buck (1795) by Wallis of Newark in the north chancel, surmounted by an urn. The south chancel contains a decorative brass plaque to Dorothy Cook (1741). In the south aisle is a monument to Samuel Peake (1729) with single angels' heads flanking the decorative apron, single scrolls flanking the inscription, and a crown decorated with a single urn. The tower has a metal plaque to W. Rippon and I. Lamb, church wardens (1792). The north aisle preserves the remains of a 12th-century ashlar coffin. The nave roof dates from 1664.