Church Of St Peter

The Church of St Peter is a redundant parish church with medieval origins, significantly altered in the Decorated Gothic style in 1852 by R.M. Phipson for Revd. G. Drury. The original building comprised a nave, chancel, west tower, and a north porch. Subsequent alterations included a virtual rebuilding of most of the chancel and vestry, alongside the addition of transepts and organ chambers. The church is constructed of flint walls, mostly rendered, with limestone dressings, and incorporates rubble including some moulded ashlar sections. At the west corners of the nave, exposed long-and-short quoins date from the 10th or 11th century. The 19th-century work is of uncoursed small flints. The roofs are plaitiled with crested ridge tiles and parapet gables. The nave’s walling likely contains a 11th/12th-century core, evidenced by a semicircular rear-arch within the south doorway. The east wall of the chancel, along with short return sections, incorporates early 14th-century features including the east window. The tower was added in the 15th century, exhibiting elaborate detailing. The battlemented parapets retain seven original limestone statues, with a further one missing. Flushwork panelled buttresses are present, along with a traceried west window and door. The tower retains its original ringing floor, an internal stair with its original door, and a single bell. North and south moulded nave doorways of the 15th century survive, with the original door located at the north side. C15 nave windows are also present, having been restored. A C15 north porch remains, with a complete but blocked doorway, although the parapets and square side windows are considerably decayed. During the 15th-century fabric and tower construction, concealed red brick was extensively used. The nave roof dates to the late 15th century, featuring three bays of collar-beam trusses with collar braces springing from shafts bearing moulded capitals, and a deep moulded cornice. A good octagonal limestone font, dating to around 1400, is carved with sunk panels, crowns, shields, and heads. The 19th-century work encompasses richly-carved stonework, including foliate corbels supporting the crossing arches and a pierced traceried pulpit. The chancel roof features heavy arch-braced principals, while the transept roofs are canted, boarded, and ribbed with bosses, along with other joinery by Henry Ringham. Stained glass figures in the 13th-century style within the east window are believed to be the work of Revd. Drury himself. Later 19th-century stained glass is found in several windows. While the vestry is predominantly 19th-century in design, it may incorporate a medieval cornice, and possibly some flint walling. Two 18th-century floor slabs are situated within the chancel.