Parish Church Of St Peter

The Parish Church of St Peter is a historic church with origins dating back to the 12th century, featuring a north wall, west wall, and a respond of the south arcade to the nave. The south arcade and south aisle were added in the 14th century. The chancel, vestry, and tower were constructed around 1640, with the tower being rebuilt after a storm in 1811 and further remodelled during a restoration in 1868-1869 when north and south proches were added. The church is built with re-used limestone and pebble rubble, and the roofs are covered with slate and lead.

The south elevation features a two-stage tower with limestone quoins and a plinth, topped with an embattled parapet and corner pinnacles. The nave, aisles, and chancel also have similar embattled parapets. The aisle roof includes four fixed-light wooden dormer windows, and the aisle has three square-headed clunch windows, one with four lights from the 17th century, and two with three cinquefoils possibly dating to the 14th century. The south doorway has a two-centred head with continuous moulding. The chancel has rendered walls, and the vestry is located at the angle with the aisle, featuring re-used roll-moulded 12th-century limestone quoins on the buttresses.

Inside, the nave arcade from the 14th century consists of four bays with clunch piers that have moulded caps and chamfered bases, supporting two two-centred arches of two-chamfered orders. The chancel arch is similar to the arcade but may have been rebuilt in the 17th century. The roofs of the nave and aisle date to the 17th century, featuring braced tie beams and pendants. The font is an octagonal bowl from the 13th century, and there is an octagonal pulpit with bolection moulded panels and an inscription reading 'WW 1682'. A clock from the 18th century is also present. Notable monuments and brasses include a brass for J Killingworth, Rector from 1667; a floor slab for Nicholas Saunderson, F.R.S., Professor of Mathematics from 1739; and a monument by Payne of St. Ives for Robert Underwood from 1792.