Church Of St Peter

This parish church has origins in the 11th century, with its chancel and nave dating from this earliest period. The south aisle was rebuilt in the 14th century, and the west tower and west end of the church were probably also reconstructed at this time. A south chapel was added in the late 15th century. A south porch existed by 1780. The church underwent restorations in the 19th and 20th centuries, including the rebuilding of the south arcade and chancel arch.

The church is built of flint rubble, septaria and puddingstone, with dressings of limestone, Roman tile and brick. The roofs are covered in red plain tiles. The east walls of both the chancel and south chapel are gabled with angle buttresses. The chancel has a north quoin constructed of Roman brick and tile. A 19th or 20th century two-light window with a two-centred head lights the chancel. The north wall features a 12th century round-headed window with jambs and arch of Roman brick. The south chapel has 19th or 20th century three-light windows with segmental pointed heads to both its east and south walls.

The north wall of the nave contains two 19th or 20th century two-light windows with tracery under square heads. These windows have 16th century moulded labels representing the four winged beasts of the Revelation: the lion, the calf, the human face and the flying eagle. Between these windows is a 12th century window similar to that in the chancel wall. The east quoins are of Roman brick and tile. A flint and rubble buttress stands adjacent to the west. The north doorway has a two-centred arch, possibly of 12th century origin but much restored, with a nailed vertically boarded door fitted with ornate hinges.

The south aisle has a 19th or 20th century two-light window with two-centred head and tracery positioned to the right and left of the 19th century south porch. The porch features stepped buttresses to its south angles and a moulded two-centred arch with label and foliate stops. A full-length stone bench on brackets runs along the east wall, with a similar but broken seat on the west wall. The porch roof has moulded rafters. The restored 14th century south doorway has stop-moulded jambs and a two-centred arch with moulded label. The door is of nailed vertical boards with ornate straps and hinges.

The west tower is probably 14th century and crenellated, measuring ten feet square. It rises in three stages with three bands and angle buttresses. A stair turret on the north-east wall has one slit light. The west doorway has moulded jambs, a two-centred arch and label, with a nailed vertically boarded door fitted with ornate hinges. The west window comprises two cinquefoiled lights with tracery and label, much worn. Each face of the second stage (north, west and south) has one small trefoiled light. Each wall of the bell chamber contains a window of two cinquefoil-headed lights under a square head with label. Vertically boarded sounding louvres feature trefoils. A diapered flint flushwork panel sits above the west window, with flint decoration above the first stage band. The rainwater pipes have crenellated heads, some inscribed "CBL 1853".

Inside, the chancel has a ceiled seven-cant roof and a 19th century patterned coloured tile floor. A panelled and painted reredos stands against the east wall. A 15th century four-centred arch of two moulded orders opens to the south wall. The piscina is possibly 13th century with chamfered jambs, two-centred head and foliate drain. To the west of this arch is a carving, possibly 14th century, depicting a man, angel and ivy leaves.

The south chapel has a ceiled seven-cant roof with two stop-chamfered tie beams. It contains a panelled altar and reredos, with 19th or 20th century altar rails. The 15th century piscina has moulded jambs, an ogee head and octagonal drain. The principal monument is an altar tomb of circa 1531 to Thomas Heigham and his three wives Alys, Awdrie and Francis. Made of Purbeck marble, its sides feature four sunken and cusped panels with carved spandrels and central shields, that to the east being halved. The top slab has a moulded edge and a brass figure of a woman in a pedimental headdress. Indents remain of a man in armour, two other wives and four shields. A later brass insertion commemorates Anthony Heyham (died 1540) and his wife Anne, with two shields inserted in earlier indents; the tomb was either rebuilt or assembled from another monument. A 20th century wood carving entitled "Hands" by H Crawshay Frost is also displayed in the chapel.

The nave has a 19th or 20th century south arcade of three bays with moulded capitals and bases, octagonal columns and two-centred arches. The roof dates from 1310-1350 and comprises three bays with moulded wall plates and curved braces to stop-chamfered tie beams that rest on 14th century head corbels. The spandrels are traceried. Four-armed crown posts support the structure. A 19th century octagonal carved pulpit features traceried circles to each panel. The 19th century stone font is octagonal with moulded bases and shafts, and foliate carvings between trefoiled heads. The two-centred tower arch has two hollow-chamfered orders with half-round shafts with moulded capitals and bases. The stair turret doorway has a two-centred head. The door in the second stage is possibly 15th century, made of battens with strap hinges.