Church Of St Peter

Church of St. Peter, Paglesham

A parish church of mainly 15th-century date, with some 12th-century work surviving in the chancel and nave. The west tower dates to the 16th century. The building underwent substantial restoration around 1883. A 19th-century south porch and north vestry were added. The structure is built of stone, flint and septaria with some Roman brick, and is roofed in red plain tiles.

The chancel contains a 15th-century east window of three cinquefoiled lights with vertical tracery, a two-centred head and label. Two small round-headed windows of 18th-century date are set in the north wall. The south wall features a 16th-century eastern single-light square-headed window and a restored 16th-century window of two cinquefoiled lights with square head and label. Between these windows is a possibly 16th-century doorway with sunk chamfered jambs and round head. The chancel is spanned by a simple two-centred arch.

The nave's south wall is buttressed at its end and centre. An eastern 19th-century window of two cinquefoiled lights has a moulded surround, square head and label with headstops. The central window, also 19th century, has two cinquefoiled lights with pointed segmental head, moulded surround and label with headstops. The western window has two cinquefoiled lights with tracery over, square head and label with headstops and carved flowers to the surround and head. The north wall is buttressed at its eastern angle and contains an eastern small round-headed window and a western window of two cinquefoiled lights with square head and label. The nave roof, of 19th or 20th-century date, comprises four bays with end and central hammerbeams supported by corbel stones, double side purlins, ridge board and king posts. All joists are stop-chamfered.

The south porch is buttressed at the angles and has a moulded two-centred arch with moulded label. Small windows to the side walls have trefoiled two-centred arches with square heads and labels. The 15th or 16th-century south door has moulded jambs, two-centred head and moulded label, with nailed and moulded battens, moulded muntins, two strap hinges and lock plate. The porch interior comprises two bays with a cambered tie beam supported by arched braces on corbels, stop-chamfered joists and ridge board. Side seats are present.

The north vestry is gabled to the north, east and has two north wall windows of trefoiled lights with square heads and labels. A small two-centred window is set to the gable apex.

The west tower is of three stages and crenellated, with buttresses at the north-west, south-west and south-east angles. A stair turret at the north-east rises above the parapet with three slit lights to the east and two to the west faces. Bands run below the crenellations at the bell chamber and second stage levels. All faces of the bell chamber contain two cinquefoiled lights under square heads with labels. Each face of the second stage has a single trefoiled light under a square head and label. The west face of the tower displays a window of three cinquefoiled lights with vertical tracery, moulded two-centred head and traces of moulded label, with a band below. The west doorway has moulded jambs and two-centred head and label (much worn), and retains a 15th-century nailed plank and muntin door with strap hinges.

The tower arch consists of a two-centred arch of two chamfered orders, the inner resting on semi-octagonal jambs with moulded capitals and bases.

The chancel interior has a 19th-century double side purlin roof with ridge board and moulded wall plates. The sanctuary floor is of square red brick. 19th-century wrought iron and wood altar rails are present. Eight 17th and 18th-century headstones from the churchyard are set in the chancel floor, including a floor slab to John Nassu dated December 18th 1807. The choir stalls have carved fronts. A cushion capital with ring under, mounted on a 20th-century circular column, is used as a piscina. A hatchment is displayed on the north wall, with a further hatchment over the chancel arch.

The nave floor contains eight 18th and 19th-century headstones from the churchyard. A 20th-century octagonal pulpit with sounding board is present. A piscina to the south wall has a cinquefoiled two-centred head. A rim band of a bell dated 1598 rests on the south window cill. A niche is located to the east of the north wall. The north doorway has a segmental head. A donation board over the north doorway relates to a bequest by John Nassu in 1807 to six poor families. A chest with moulded rim to lid and carved panel to the base of its back is present. A 19th-century octagonal font is displayed.

The stair turret doorway has a moulded two-centred arch.