Church Of St Peter

TM 23 NW LEVINGTON CHURCH LANE WITH STRATTON HALL of St. Peter 5/14 Church of St. Peter

16.3.66 - I

Church, mediaeval. Nave, chancel, west tower, south porch now converted to vestry. Flint rubble, mainly plastered, with freestone dressings. Work of c.1500 and later in red brick. Plaintiled roofs, with parapet gable at the east wall. Simple pointed south nave doorway and similar blocked north doorway are of c.1300; the walling of nave and chancel are probably of this date or earlier. A small south chancel window has tracery and a cusped inner arch, perhaps late C14. A square-headed low-side window, and the north window opposite, are of C14 or C15. Timber-framed south porch on high C19 plinth of red brick. Arched doorway and widely-spaced mullions, now infilled. The late-mediaeval plank door was probably repositioned from the inner doorway. Tower of red brick with limestone dressings; money was bequeathed c.1480 for its construction. West doorway has good head corbels beneath the dripmould and a shield above; 2-light brick west window. The belfry stage was rebuilt 1636 for Robert Hitcham (datestone on south tower wall), with hood-moulded windows. Embattled parapets rebuilt C20. Large windows of moulded brick were inserted late C15 or early C16, that in the east wall of 3 lights and traceried; a simpler window in the south wall and another, restored C20 in the nave. The walls of nave and chancel were raised c.1500 and the roofs rebuilt. In the chancel an embattled cornice is visible; in the nave is a 4-bay arch- braced collar-beam roof; the cornice and other components rib-moulded. Rood beam with a variant of trailing leaf carving. Several small clerestory windows. C15 octagonal limestone font with sunk facets carved with alternating shields and roses, and supporting angel beneath; oak pyramid cover, of C18 or early C19. Good early C17 octagonal pulpit, the panels arcaded and carved with strapwork. Mid C17 altar rails with turned balusters. The mid C17 panelling which lines the chancel walls was taken from Brightwell Hall (demolished c.1753); much altered and restored. In the chancel floor is a ledger slab dated 1712.

Listing NGR: TM2343939022