Church Of St Peter

TL 96 NW THURSTON CHURCH ROAD

1/142 Church of St Peter 15.11.54

-- II

Parish church, medieval but virtually rebuilt 1861 by J.H. Hakewell following collapse of medieval tower onto nave. Chancel not rebuilt, but restored mid C19. Nave, chancel, north and south aisles, west tower, south porch, north vestry. Flint rubble with freestone dressings: the 1861 work has bands of red brick at springing line of windows and beneath cills, and has flushed flint rubble parapets. Slated roofs with parapet gables to nave and chancel (the latter has graded Westmorland slates); other roofs flat behind parapets. The church had much good mid C14 work at the date of collapse (photographs are in the building), much of which was faithfully restored. A little freestone was reused, but virtually all moulded work is of 1861. Tall 2-light windows in both aisles (several with medieval glass) are set within 5-bay blind arcades, shallow and echoing the nave arcades, which have slender piers with attached half-columnms. Sexfoil and quatrefoil clerestory windows: a plain archbraced collar beam roof of 1861 replaces a C14 crownpost roof with rising braces from tiebeams (aisle roofs are a plain copy of the original). The chancel has large early C15 windows. The medieval vestry has been converted into an organ chamber. Moulded late C14 chancel south doorway. C15 double piscina with credence shelf and stepped triple sedilia, all under 5 boldly-cusped arches with enriched spandrels. Good mid C14 octagonal font with reeded stem and shallow foliate patterns around the bowl. The traceried 8-bay stall-fronts for the choirstalls are of C15 origin: both have poppyhead ends, and 4 further poppyhead ends are incorporated in the C19 stalls. 12 C15 poppyhead benches with traceried ends in the aisles. A worn medieval slab in the south aisle floor, and 4 others of C18/C19 in nave.

Listing NGR: TL9291365260