Church Of St Peter

TEMPSFORD CHURCH STREET TL 1653 (Church End) 9/96 Church of St Peter 31.10.66 GV II* Parish church. C14 and C15, repaired 1621 and 1874. Coursed ironstone, cobbles and clunch, large parts with clunch and ironstone banding. Ashlar dressings and repairs to tower. Slate roofs. Chancel, nave, N and S aisles, N and S porches, W tower. Chancel: C15. 5-light C20 E window. 2 3-light windows to S, W one probably reworked C17. 4-centred arched S doorway. N elevation has similar 3-light window to W bay, reworked C17. E bay has blocked archway, originally opening onto vestry. C14 pointed chancel arch. Nave: C14. 4-bay pointed-arched arcades to both sides, 2 W arches of S arcade rebuilt C17. Clerestory reworked C17. 4 windows per side, E ones of 3 lights, others of 2 lights, all with pointed heads. Entrances to rood loft stairs remain to NE angle. N aisle: C14 reworked. 2-light C14 E window with pointed arch. C19 lozenge-shaped W window. N windows are C15 restored C19, of 3 lights under 4-centred heads. S aisle: C14. Similar to N aisle but without W window. Nave and aisles have plain parapets. N and S porches: rebuilt 1621. Steep pitched gables with stone coping. Pointed archways. W tower: C14, reworked Cl7. Pointed tower arch. 3 stages. Angle buttresses. Embattled parapet. Ground stage has C19 2-light pointed W window. Middle stage has pointed arched single lights to W and S. Bell-stage has 2-light pointed arched windows to all sides. Interior: rather plain. Roofs C19 and C20, although nave retained C17 egg-and-tongue wall-plate. C19 pewing. C14 octagonal font. Base of C15 rood screen under chancel arch. C15 octagonal pulpit with traceried panels. N aisle SE wall has very indistinct remains of wall painting of St Catherine C14 bracket niches in E walls of aisles. C18 and C19 marble wall monuments to Payne family in tower.

Listing NGR: TL1619253032