Church Of St Peter

The Church of St Peter is a parish church located in Athelington, dating back to the medieval period and restored between 1873 and 1874. It features a small structure with a continuous nave and chancel, a west tower, and a south porch. The building is constructed of flint rubble with stone dressings. The tower, primarily from the 15th century, is made of knapped flint mixed with red brick, and has brick quoins on the east side and at the stair turret. The roof is covered with plain tiles. The square tower lacks buttresses and has a pyramidal slated roof topped with a wind vane. A stair turret is located on the south side. The west doorway is moulded and features late 19th-century corbel heads. There is a two-light west window with early 14th-century tracery and a Perpendicular-style head, along with a smaller two-light window above it. The belfry openings are simple and louvred. The nave and chancel likely date to the early 14th century, with side windows in the Perpendicular style and an original three-light east window that has intersecting Y-tracery and an inscription at its base. The south doorway to the nave has been restored and includes late 19th-century corbel heads. The porch, made of knapped flint, was added in 1873.

Inside, the church features a 14th-century scissor-braced rafter roof with collars and ashlar pieces, and a moulded cornice that is enriched in the chancel with embattling and fleurons. A rood beam remains in place, supported by two notable 14th-century corbel heads depicting a king and queen, which were relocated here during the restoration. Adjacent to this is a trefoil-headed piscina with a drop-sill sedilia. The church also contains a 15th-century octagonal font, with shallow-carved panels featuring unique traceried designs. In the nave, there are ten finely restored 15th-century poppyhead bench-ends, which are traceried and supported by side buttresses featuring standing figures or heads. Four similar bench-ends to the east are good 19th-century copies, while at the west end, there are two 15th-century half-ends. The remaining benches and furnishings are largely from the late 19th century.