Church Of St Peter-Ad-Vincula

TL 4882 COVENEY MAIN STREET (West side)

14/4 Church of St Peter - ad - Vincula 5.2.52 GV I

Parish church. C13 nave and chancel and C14 west tower. 1896 restoration. Field and rubblestone and limestone dressings. Continuous nave and chancel roof, originally thatched and plain tiled from 1896. End parapet and C19 gable cross. Plan of west tower, aisleless nave and chancel with south porch and C19 north vestry. West tower of three stages. Two lower stages are C14 with C15 upper stage. Embattled parapet with low pyramidal tiled cap to tower roof. Ground stage open on north and south sides to form a passage. Two centred arch of two wave moulded orders and a hollow moulding to each face of the arch. West doorway has two centred arch of two chamfered orders. First stage south wall has lancet window in two centred arch with two hollow mouldings. The C15 bell stage has two cinequefoil openings to each side. Nave has three C14 windows in two centred arches with reticulated tracery. The south doorway has a two centred arch of three chamfered orders. The centre chamfer terminates in a broach stop and is carried on angle shafts which have been removed. There is a label with stops. The door is of vertical planks with cover strips. The south porch has the date 1896 to the gable but the walls are possibly older. They are rendered and have a high plinth. Square heads to single light windows in each side. The S wall has a C13 lancet and two cinquefoil windows and the east wall a restored three-light C14 window with reticulated tracery. The north wall has coupled lancets (see St Martins, Witcham) and two C13 lancets. C13 north doorway with a two centred arch of two chamfered orders. Interior: above the west doorway in the nave is a C13 lancet window with deep rear splay. The roof is C19 and of seven bays and of collar rafter type. The piscina has two centred arch with cinquefoil cusping. The roof above the sanctuary has C19 painted boarding, and there-are patterned floor tiles. The reredos is German and C16. Wood, carved in high relief and painted. In three bays divided by fluted columns on brackets with end console brackets. Centre panel: the Crucifixion; flanked on the left by the Flagellation and Mount of Olives and on the right by Christ before Pilate and Christ carrying the Cross. Above a panel depicting the Resurrection with strapwork decoration. The pulpit is Danish. 1706. On modern base. Wood, painted. Octagonal with pane depicting Christ and the Evangelists. Pews in nave. C16. Original bench ends with poppy head finials and typical heads in profile, Instruments of Christ's Passion, keys, arms of the Scrope family, an eagle, a triskele etc. Chandelier C18 Dutch. Brass. Central shaft of baluster turnings with ball pendant finial. In three tiers with six branches to the lower tier. C13 wall paintings on south wall.

Pevsner: Buildings of England p326 VCH: Cambs Vol IV

Listing NGR: TL4894182187