Church Of St Peter

The Church of St Peter is a mediaeval church dating back to around 1500, with earlier elements likely from the 13th century. It comprises a nave, chancel, west tower, and a south porch that has been converted into a vestry. The church is primarily constructed from flint rubble, mostly plastered, with freestone dressings. Later construction incorporates red brick. The roof is plain-tiled, with a parapet gable at the east end.

The original doorway on the south side of the nave, and a similar blocked doorway on the north side, are both pointed arches dating back to around 1300, reflecting the probable date of the nave and chancel walls. A small south chancel window features tracery and a cusped inner arch, possibly from the late 14th century. Square-headed windows, along with a north window opposite, are attributed to the 14th or 15th century. A timber-framed south porch, set on a 19th-century brick plinth, has an arched doorway and widely spaced mullions that are now filled in. The original plank door, likely from the inner doorway, was repositioned.

The tower is built of red brick with limestone dressings, and a bequest around 1480 funded its construction. The west doorway features good head corbels beneath a dripmould and a shield above; a two-light brick west window is also present. The belfry stage was rebuilt in 1636 for Robert Hitcham, a datestone commemorating this on the south tower wall. The windows rebuilt at this time have hood moulds. The embattled parapets were rebuilt in the 20th century. Large windows of moulded brick were inserted between the late 15th and early 16th centuries, including a three-light, traceried window in the east wall, a simpler window in the south wall, and a restored window in the nave. The walls of the nave and chancel were raised around 1500, and the roofs rebuilt at that time.

The chancel features an embattled cornice, while the nave has a 4-bay arch-braced collar-beam roof with rib-moulded cornices and other components. A rood beam displays trailing leaf carving. Several small clerestory windows are also present. The church contains a 15th-century octagonal limestone font with sunk facets carved with alternating shields and roses, surmounted by an 18th or early 19th-century oak pyramid cover. A good, early 17th-century octagonal pulpit has arcaded and strapwork carved panels. Mid-17th-century altar rails are characterized by turned balusters. The chancel walls are lined with mid-17th-century panelling that was originally from Brightwell Hall (demolished around 1753) and has undergone alterations and restoration. A ledger slab dated 1712 is set into the chancel floor.