Church Of St Peter

Church of St Peter, Ipsley

Parish church dating from the 13th century with alterations and additions from the 14th and 15th centuries, further alteration in 1785, and restoration in 1867. The building is constructed partly of sandstone rubble with ashlar dressings and partly of sandstone ashlar, with plain tiled roofs featuring decorative ridge tiles and parapets at gable ends with cross finials. The plan comprises a west tower, a four-bay nave (originally aisled) with a lean-to vestry, and a two-bay chancel. The architectural style is predominantly Decorated.

The west tower dates to the 15th century and rises in two stages. It has a chamfered plinth and moulded plinth band, with diagonal buttresses bearing offsets at the west end and buttresses with offsets at the eastern corners. The lower stage contains a three-light west window with hopdmould and stops, narrow cusped lights on the north and south sides, and narrow ogee-arched lights beneath the intermediate string. The bell chamber has two-light louvred openings with hood moulds and stops, and an embattled parapet crowns the tower.

The nave dates principally to the 13th century and originally featured a 13th-century south aisle and a 14th-century north aisle; both aisles were demolished in 1785 and the nave underwent extensive restoration in the 19th century. The nave has a chamfered plinth and buttresses with offsets at bay divisions. The north elevation shows a three-light window in the easternmost bay adjacent to a large blind archway. A 20th-century vestry adjoins the two westernmost bays, featuring a catslide roof, four three-light casements in its north elevation, and a door at its west end. The south elevation has a two-light easternmost window and two three-light windows flanking the south entrance. The south entrance itself has a pointed archway of two chamfered orders with hood mould, inserted within a large blind pointed archway matching that on the north elevation.

The chancel dates to the 14th century and underwent 19th-century restoration. It has a chamfered plinth and plinth band, with diagonal buttresses bearing offsets at the east corners. It contains a three-light east window, and both side elevations feature a two-light window and a traceried lancet, all with hood moulds.

The interior retains pointed four-bay nave arcades, partly visible. The 13th-century south arcade displays both cylindrical and octagonal piers; the capital of the south-west respond is carved with head and foliated detail. The north arcade featured octagonal piers with arches of two hollow-chamfered orders. Pointed chancel and tower arches have responds with moulded capitals and bases. The 19th-century roofs comprise a king-post roof to the nave and arch-braced collar trusses with pierced trefoils in the braces to the chancel.

The font is an early 14th-century piece with a seven-sided basin featuring a battlemented moulding around the top and two ball-flowers at each angle. An ornate Jacobean pulpit with intricate strapwork detail originates from Easton in Herefordshire. A small 17th-century Netherlandish wood relief of the Sacrifice of Isaac is attached to the north jamb of the chancel arch.

The church contains several notable memorials. Two alabaster floor slabs in the chancel, originally inlaid with bitumen, commemorate Nicholas Huband (died 1553) and his wife Dorothy (died 1558), and Sir John Huband (died 1583) and his wife (died 1557). At the west end of the nave on the north side stands a large late 17th-century wall memorial to Anne Huband (died 1672), featuring a swan-necked pediment, scrolled architrave, Corinthian columns and a coat of arms.

Despite considerable 19th-century restoration work, the church retains significant medieval masonry, notably in the tower. The medieval font, pulpit and memorials are of particular interest.