Church Of St Peter

The Church of St Peter is a parish church with medieval origins, significantly restored in 1856-7 when a north aisle was added. It comprises a nave, chancel, west tower, north aisle, and south porch. The main construction material is flint rubble with stone dressings; the north aisle is faced with knapped flint, and remnants of old plaster are on the south chancel wall. The roof is covered in plain tiles.

The round tower, dating to the 12th century, has a later bell-chamber stage constructed of brick and flint rubble, topped with a red brick crenellated parapet. It originally contained semi-circular headed lancet windows at three levels, with the upper level (eight windows, alternating blocked) representing the original bell-chamber level. The later bell-chamber stage has louvred openings in each quarter. The nave’s 12th-century core was re-faced in the 19th century, featuring three 19th-century pointed lancet windows. A particularly fine 12th-century south nave doorway is present, characterized by a single order of colonnettes with cushion capitals featuring scallop carving and cable-moulded shaft rings; the arch has an outer ring of scallops and two orders of roll-moulding. Above the doorway is a 12th-century carved panel depicting an animal in profile. The 15th-century porch has been restored and retains its original arched-braced roof, with an ogee-headed niche containing a 19th-century statue of St. Peter above the entrance. The chancel, two bays in length, includes 15th-century two-light windows and a priest’s doorway, alongside a 19th-century three-light east window with intersecting tracery. The north aisle extends almost the full length of the nave and chancel, with lancet windows along its length.

Inside, the church features a three-bay nave arcade and a two-bay chancel arcade. The chancel aisle serves as an organ chamber and vestry. A five-bay arch-braced nave roof, likely 15th century but altered and rebuilt at a lower level in the mid-19th century, covers the nave. The chancel roof, similarly arch-braced with three bays, has main trusses from the 15th century, although largely renewed. The early 15th-century octagonal font has a bowl with foiled panels carved with alternating blank shields and flowers, supported by eight carved heads and a stem with eight colonnettes. A simple pointed-arch piscina is located in the south sanctuary. The furnishings are predominantly from the mid-19th century. The arms of George III appear above the tower arch. Stained glass by Kempe, dated 1899, is in the east window.