Church Of St Peter

Church of St Peter

Parish church. Early 15th century, incorporating probably 12th century foundations, with late 15th century, early 16th century and 1784 alterations; 1887 restoration by Ewan Christian. Sandstone ashlar with slate roof. The church comprises a west tower, nave, chancel, north aisle and north chapel, north porch, and south transept.

West tower: Early 15th century, four stages with crenellated parapet and corner pinnacles. Gargoyles are set below the parapet. The belfry stage has two trefoiled light windows under 2-centred heads. The second stage has a small square-headed window. The west window on the first stage has four cinquefoil lights under a 2-centred head in a chamfered reveal with label. The west door has a 4-centred arch with label.

Nave and north aisle: Early 15th century, with the aisle added in the late 15th century. The north wall has five bays divided by stepped buttresses capped by pinnacles, with a crenellated parapet wall and moulded string course below. A chamfered plinth runs the length of the wall. The north porch, in the second bay from the west, was rebuilt in the late 19th century and features an ogee-headed door with label. The north door has a 2-centred head with roll moulding and label. Windows comprise three 2-centred lights under 2-centred heads, with the eastern window having four rather than three lights. The south wall has four bays. The three western bays have three trefoiled light windows under 2-centred heads in chamfered reveals. Between the two west windows is a door with a pointed segmental arch of two chamfered orders. The east bay is filled by the south transept, known as Dormston Chapel, added in 1784, which has a three trefoiled light window under a 2-centred head.

Chancel: Largely rebuilt in 1887, though a small portion of 14th century work survives in the north wall with a two trefoiled light window with square head. The east window has three trefoiled lights under a segmental pointed head. The south wall has an eastern window of two trefoiled lights under 2-centred heads and a west window of two trefoiled lights under a square head. Between these is a priests' door with pointed segmental head and chamfered surround.

Interior: The nave features a tall tower arch with 2-centred head and two chamfered orders with moulding running continuously down the jambs, which contains the organ. A four-bay arcade opens to the north aisle with 2-centred arches of two chamfered orders on octagonal columns with simple moulded capitals. An arch to the south transept has a 2-centred head with two chamfered orders, the inner dying into the responds. The chancel arch is 2-centred with two chamfered orders; the responds have engaged shafts.

In the chancel are three-seat sedilia, each with a trefoiled head, and a piscina with 2-centred head in the south wall. All roofs are of late 19th century date. The chancel has a three-bay arch-braced collar roof. The nave has a Tudor arched barrel vault, plastered with timber ribs. A lean-to roof covers the north aisle, and the south transept has a rafter roof with scissor braces.

Fittings include a pulpit at the south-east corner of the nave, late 18th century with Gothick panels. A 17th century communion table is in the north chapel. A memorial to John Savage, died 1631, stands in the south transept: a table tomb bearing a recumbent stone effigy with a canopy supported on Corinthian columns. The soffit of the canopy has Gothic quatrefoil panels with sub-cusping, an interesting example of Gothic survival. A square font on a square pier has each side decorated with three medallions bearing designs including a lamb, cross and fleur-de-lys. The soffit is decorated with dog tooth ornament, dating to around 1200. The east window of the north chapel contains 15th century glass fragments in the head, and 15th century fragments appear in the west window of the north aisle.