Church Of St Peter And St Paul

Church of St. Peter and St. Paul

This is a church of the 14th and 15th centuries, though it was drastically restored in 1868-9 by W. Slater. The building is constructed of ashlar, much renewed in the 19th century, with plain tile roofs. The plan comprises a west tower, a 6-bay nave with side aisles, a 3-bay chancel, and a north-east vestry.

The west tower probably dates from the mid to late 15th century and stands in 3 stages with 5-stage diagonal buttresses capped by crocketed pinnacles at parapet level. A plinth with moulded coping supports a crenellated parapet with continuous coping to merlons and embrasures, and trefoil-headed panelling. The recessed stone spire was rebuilt in 1888 and is crocketed up the edges with 3 tiers of lucarnes bearing crocketed hood moulds. The west doorway features a roll and hollow-moulded surround, 4-centred arch, and crocketed hood mould with carved angel stops. Above this is a large window of 5 cinquefoil-headed lights with panel tracery beneath a 4-centred arch with crocketed hood mould terminating in winged monsters. The second stage has windows of 2 trefoil-headed lights with battlemented transoms beneath elongated triangular arches with hood moulds terminating in winged monsters. Above the north, south and west windows is a canopied niche with crocketed hood mould in each case, partially concealed by a clock. The belfry stage on each face has a pair of transomed 2-light windows flanked by similar blind windows beneath a continuous crocketed hood mould with monster stops.

The nave and aisles feature 19th-century pointed 2-light side windows with Geometrical tracery, hollow segment-moulded surrounds, and hood moulds with stops carved as heads. The east and west windows of both aisles each contain 3 lights. Buttresses are placed diagonally at the angles and at the bay divisions of the north and south sides. Coved eaves with carved fleurons run around the structure. 19th-century north and south porches are gabled, with pointed entrance arches springing from cylindrical shafts with moulded capitals and scroll-moulded dripstones.

The chancel is of late 15th-century date. It has a plinth with moulded coping and buttresses set diagonally at the eastern angles and at the bay divisions to the north and south. Each buttress bears a gargoyle and crocketed pinnacle above, the latter having panelled sides. A parapet string and crenellated parapet with continuous coping to merlons and embrasures run along the top. The side windows contain 5 trefoil-headed lights with panel tracery beneath a 4-centred arch and returned hood mould. A similar 7-light east window, probably of 19th-century date, is fitted here. The priest's doorway consists of 2 roll-moulded orders with a 4-centred arch and a heavily crocketed hood mould terminating in carved harts. The 19th-century north-east vestry has windows of 2 trefoil-headed lights surmounted by quatrefoils, a western doorway of 2 roll-moulded orders with a 4-centred arch, a crenellated parapet, and a parapet string serving as a hood mould to the windows.

The interior contains 7-bay nave arcades of pointed arches with 2 chamfered orders springing from octagonal columns with moulded capitals. These are mainly 14th century, though the 3 western bays are 15th century and probably contemporary with the west tower. A tall pointed tower arch with wide ogee moulding springs from semi-octagonal half columns with moulded capitals, with an outer wide sunk chamfered order. The chancel arch is pointed with 2 chamfered orders springing from moulded imposts on octagonal half columns. The nave and aisles have 14th and 15th-century wagon roofs: the nave roof is of rounded section and the aisle roofs are segmental pointed. The members of the nave roof are painted with trailing foliage, fleur-de-lys and other fleurons. In the chancel are the remains of a piscina and vaulted sedilia. A doorway in the north wall leads to the vestry and matches the external doorway in the south wall, both having four-centred heads and heavily crocketed hood moulds terminating in carved deer and surmounted by a fleur-de-lys. The 15th-century chancel roof is of low pitch, carried on cambered tie beams panelled with trefoil-headed arcading. The tie beams are supported on brackets which spring from stone corbels carved as angels, with a moulded ridge piece and purlins bearing carved floral bosses.

The church contains outstanding fittings. An exceptional 12th-century font features a squat base and circular basin carved with round-headed arcading springing from cylindrical columns with cushion capitals, forming 11 compartments altogether. The arcading is interrupted to the east by a crucifix with the Virgin and St. John to either side, the scene surrounded by a circular band which cuts across the 2 supporting figures. The other 9 compartments contain alternately interlaced or vertical foliage scrolls and single figures, four in total. A 19th-century octagonal pulpit in an elaborate Gothic style has Geometrical tracery to the panelled sides and a leaf-encrusted cornice. Two carved stone heads brought from a site in the High Street, probably of 12th-century date, are displayed in the north aisle. Other furnishings include an early 17th-century chest with elaborately curved sides, a bookrest said to date to 1603, an 18th-century iron chest or strongbox, and an oak parish chest bound with iron straps, possibly of 14th-century date.

The monuments include 2 early 14th-century cross-legged knights each with a surcoat and mail hood. The one in the south aisle has been identified with John I de Clinton, died circa 1300, and bears a shield emblazoned with Clinton arms of (argent) a chief (azure) with 2 fleur-de-lys (or) therein. The knight in the north aisle is said to represent John II de Clinton, died circa 1320. Several monuments occupy the chancel. Three brasses commemorate William Abnell, vicar (died 1500); Alice Clifton (died 1506); and Sir John Fenton (died 1586). The remaining monuments are all to the Digbys: Simon (died 1519) and his wife Alice, in alabaster, with 2 recumbent effigies on a chest tomb with twisted columns at the corners and panelled and traceried sides bearing heraldic shields; Simon Digby wears plate armour with his head resting on a helmet and his feet on a lion. Reginald (died 1519) and his wife Anne are commemorated by an incised alabaster slab on a chest tomb with 2 effigies and a row of children at their feet. John (died 1558) and his wife Anne have an alabaster monument with 2 recumbent effigies on a chest tomb with their hands raised in prayer; he wears armour with his head on a helmet and feet on a lion, whilst on the east face of the chest are a son in armour, 2 sons in lay dress, and a child in swathing bands. Sir George (died 1586) and his wife are commemorated by 2 recumbent effigies on a chest tomb with their hands raised in prayer, Sir George in plate armour with both figures' heads resting on cushions and kneeling children around the sides. Sir Robert Digby (died 1618) is commemorated by a tall narrow tablet scrolled to the sides with a convex inscription panel capped by an Ionic capital and surmounted by an heraldic shield with garlands of fruit to each side. The First Lord Digby (died 1661) has a pedestal tomb with a giant urn on top.

The chancel and west walls of the tower and aisles contain good late 19th-century stained glass.