Church Of St Peter

The Church of St Peter is a parish church dating back to the 12th century, with significant additions and alterations in the 14th and 15th centuries. It was restored in 1863-4 and 1880, and the tower was recently repaired in 1984. The building is constructed of pebble and fieldstone, dressed and carved limestone ashlar, with clunch used as inner walling. It has tiled roofs.

The church comprises a 14th-century west tower, a nave originally built in the 12th century, a north and south aisle, and a chancel. The tower is of pebble construction with clunch and dressed limestone quoins, with a modern render to the upper stage. It has three stages, embattled and set upon a two-stage plinth with diagonally set buttressing. A restored west window features vertical tracery, and a small ashlar spire includes two tiers of gabled spire lights. The nave, of 12th-century origin, originally had no aisles. The south east corner retains an engaged angle shaft dating back to the 12th century. The south aisle was added around 1300, with its roof raised in the late 14th century. The north aisle, added in the 15th-16th centuries, flanks the tower. The south porch has been much restored, featuring a roof with two kingpost trusses and ogee moulding to the main cornice; the beams appear to be reused.

The chancel, partially rebuilt, is constructed of dressed limestone ashlar and includes a chamfered string course forming a sill to an original, round-headed, roll-moulded C12 window opening, supported by engaged columns with cushion capitals. A similar window is also present in the north wall. Internally, the tower is accessed via a C14 two-centred arch of three continuous chamfered orders, divided by deep hollow mouldings. A C14 south arcade with three bays of two-centred arches is supported by quatrefoil piers with roll moulding and moulded capitals and bases. The north arcade, dating from the 15th century, also has three bays, with two-centred arches and moulded orders. The south aisle roof dates back to the late 14th-century roof raise, while the north aisle roof is of 15th-century origin. The chancel interior shows considerable alterations but retains part of a 15th-century chancel screen. An angel corbel is located on one side of the original south chapel, in the south aisle. A C12 square font with carved sides, including intersecting arcading and a chevron pattern, is present; its original stem is accompanied by modern angle shafts. A wall monument from 1627 commemorates Andrew Downes, and a table tomb from 1707 and 1699 marks the graves of Richard and Mary Hatley. A C16 chest with iron fittings and a C17 oak communion table are also housed within the north aisle.