Church Of St Peter

Parish church, formerly the priory church of an Augustinian house founded circa 1119-39 by Ralph de Ayncourt for canons of the order of St Augustine. The priory was dissolved in 1534. The surviving fabric is early 13th century, substantially restored 1852-3 by T. C. Hine when the chancel was added and the north aisle renewed.

Exterior

The church is built of ashlar with some coursed rubble, under slate roofs. Gables are coped with decorative ridge cross finials to the east end of the chancel and remains of finials to the east and west ends of the nave, with a finial also at the east end of the north aisle. The north aisle, porch, south nave and chancel are buttressed and set on a plinth with moulded band over. All buttresses here have triangular hood moulds with head or decorative label stops.

The building now comprises only the north-west tower of what was originally a twin-towered west front, together with the nave, north aisle, north porch and chancel.

West Front

The 13th-century west end is set on a moulded plinth with band over. The central bay contains a pointed arched doorway, the right side retaining nine colonnettes (a larger alternating with a smaller), while the left side has two remaining colonnettes. The moulded arch has five bands of dogtooth decoration. Over is a dogtooth hood mould with remains of impost bands. Above is a single 19th-century window consisting of five moulded pointed arched arcades graduating in height from the centre downwards. The central three arcades contain lights. Flanking each arcade are single colonnettes, with two flanking the central light. A continuous hood mould has six decorative label stops, with a sill band beneath. In the gable apex is a single 19th-century decorative quatrefoil set in a circle. To the left are fragments of an earlier, probably 13th-century, build. To the right is the house, listed separately.

North-West Tower

The embattled 13th-century tower with remnants of four pinnacles is of six stages divided by bands. The clasping buttresses rise to the bell chamber openings, the left buttress being larger.

The west wall has a pointed arched doorway originally with five colonnettes either side, but now with three on the left and two on the right, alternating a larger with a smaller. The moulded arch has three bands of dogtooth with a dogtooth hood mould and right impost band. Above is a damaged four-bay blind arcade with pointed chamfered arches, colonnettes and continuous hood mould. Above this is a pointed arched window with dogtooth hood mould and worn label stops.

In the left buttress is a three-bay blind arcade with colonnettes, moulded pointed arches and continuous hood mould with three worn label stops. The central arcade contains a single rectangular light. The right buttress has a single similar larger arcade with two engaged octagonal columns and hood mould. Extending over all and stepped to accommodate the central window is a continuous hood mould. Above this window is a single rectangular light, and in the right buttress a single blind arcade with two colonnettes either side supporting a moulded pointed arch, containing a single rectangular light.

Above, traversing tower and buttresses, is a six-bay blind arcade with pointed moulded arches and colonnettes, some with nailhead capitals and continuous nailhead hood mould. The single arcade of the right buttress has a single carved grotesque. The tower has three arcades, the outer ones each with a single lancet with chevron decoration to the arch. Over the right arcade of the left buttress and the arcade of the right buttress are triangular arches decorated with dogtooth, marking the termination of the buttresses. At the angles of each buttress and at stages where there is no decoration are single engaged colonnettes.

The north side of the tower has similar clasping buttresses, that on the right being larger, set on a plinth with moulded band over. At the first stage is a single rectangular stair light. Above, in the right buttress, is a three-bay blind arcade with pointed moulded arches, the central arch decorated with dogtooth, with colonnettes and hood mould having four decorative label stops. The east side of the buttress has a single similar arcade. Above, in the tower, is a single lancet and in the right buttress east side a single rectangular stair light.

Above, traversing tower and buttresses, is a six-bay blind arcade corresponding to that at the same stage on the west side, with two similar lights in the tower arcading. However, all but two of the capitals are decorated with worn nailhead. There are three decorative label stops and the right arcade of the right buttress has a single small arched light with dogtooth hood mould. Above, in the buttresses, are triangular arches with dogtooth hood moulds, the right arch containing a single small arched light with chevron to jambs and arch. The east side has a single lancet.

Above, traversing this front, is a four-bay blind arcade with pointed moulded arches and colonnettes with nailhead capitals and continuous nailhead hood mould with three label stops. The left and third left arcades have single lancets with chevron decoration to the arches. The second left arcade has a single clock face. The south front has two arched lights with continuous nailhead hood mould.

Each side of the bell chamber has two arched openings, each opening flanked by single colonnettes with moulded capitals which rise from impost level. Either side are two-bay blind arcades with similar colonnettes and pointed moulded arches. Over, extending around all four sides, is a continuous nailhead hood mould with twenty decorative label stops.

Attached to the north-west buttress is a dressed coursed rubble wall with ashlar coping, having a pointed arched doorway with hood mould and two large grotesque corbels to the west side and a single carved human head to the apex of the east side.

North Aisle and Porch

The 19th-century north aisle has a 19th-century gabled and coped porch with decorative ridge finial and low angle buttresses. The porch entrance is 13th century with a moulded arch and two colonnettes either side with worn stiff-leaf capitals. Hood mould over with worn human head label stops. The inner doorway is also 13th century with a moulded arch and two colonnettes with moulded capitals either side. The arch has a single band of dogtooth. Dogtooth hood mould with decorative label stops.

To the left is a single 19th-century arched three-light window with cusped tracery, hood mould and decorative label stops, each light flanked by single colonnettes with decorative capitals. Below and adjacent to the wall is a hollow 13th-century ashlar coffin with remains of lid.

In the east wall is a single 19th-century arched three-light window with cusped tracery, hood mould, human head label stops and similar flanking colonnettes.

Chancel

The 19th-century chancel has in the north wall a canted bay with blind arcading having five bays to the front and single bay to each side. The arcades have colonnettes, moulded capitals, pointed moulded arches and continuous hood mould with eight decorative label stops. Over is a single central trefoil.

The east end has a single pair of 19th-century arched two-light windows, each with cusped tracery. Each light is flanked by a single colonnette with moulded capital, that on the far left with decorated capital. Three further larger colonnettes support moulded arches over. There is a continuous hood mould. Over, set into a circle, is a single cinquefoil with hood mould and decorative label stops.

The south chancel has two 19th-century arched two-light windows with cusped tracery. Each light is flanked by single colonnettes with decorative capitals, hood mould and decorative label stops.

South Nave

The 19th-century south nave has a single 19th-century arched three-light window with cusped tracery, hood mould and decorative label stops. To the left is the attached house.

Interior

Three-bay nave arcades run on both sides with double-chamfered arches and hood moulds to the nave sides.

The 13th-century south arcade of the now-demolished south aisle has a large octagonal column with four octagonal colonnettes, all with overhanging moulded capitals. The large cluster column to the west has attached columns and colonnettes with moulded overhanging capitals, the centre column on each side with single fillet. The western respond has a single central large circular column with single fillet flanked by single smaller columns. The eastern respond has a single circular column with single fillet which continues into the capital, flanked by single colonnettes with single shaft rings; either side are single circular columns. All have moulded capitals.

The north side, renewed 1852-3, has a large octagonal column with four colonnettes and overhanging moulded capitals. The cluster column to the west and the responds correspond to those of the south arcade.

The north aisle/north tower double-chamfered arch is supported on the cluster column of the arcade and on the north side on a circular column with single fillet flanked by single smaller columns.

The 19th-century moulded chancel arch is supported on each side by three engaged circular columns, the central columns with single fillets, all with foliate capitals. Over is a dogtooth hood mould and human head label stops.

The vaulting shafts, some supported by the arcade columns, have single shaft rings and fillets and now support the 19th-century roofs. The south side of the tower has evidence of a twin-opened gallery.

The north chancel has a moulded arch supported on engaged colonnettes with moulded capitals, hood mould and figurative label stops; this contains the organ. In the south nave wall is a doorway leading to the house.

Fittings

Over the altar is a fine elaborate and decoratively carved early 14th-century bracket with canopy. Flanking all windows are single colonnettes with fillets; most also have hood moulds and decorative label stops. There is a restored 13th-century ashlar altar slab.

A set of three 15th-century choir stalls with misericords features decoratively carved heads, figures and foliage. There is an elaborately carved chair. The 19th-century octagonal font is accompanied by 19th-century benches with blind traceried ends and a good 19th-century pulpit.

17th- and 18th-century floor slabs are present throughout. The south nave contains a 12th-century ashlar coffin with remains of a lid.

In the north aisle is a monument to Susanna Gilbert Cooper, died 1751, and John Gilbert Cooper. The two inscriptions are divided by a single decorative pier decorated with a roundel containing a carved head. The pier breaks into the pedimented crown and supports some carved books. The inscriptions have a fluted surround with paterae and the apron is decorated with a garland.