Church Of St Peter

The Church of St. Peter is a medieval church located in Baylham, featuring a nave, chancel, and west tower. The chancel underwent significant remodeling, and two transepts along with a south porch were added in 1870 in the Decorated style. The building is constructed of flint rubble with freestone dressings and has a plaintiled roof with a parapet gable.

An unusual north nave doorway, which is now blocked, likely dates from the 11th century. It features a deep lintel resting on square jambs, topped by a round arch. The tympanum displays a scratched diaperwork pattern framed by an arched raised band. Inside, there is an early 14th-century pointed window in the south aisle wall, accompanied by a matching restored piscina. A later 14th-century traceried window can be found in the south nave.

The plain late 14th-century tower includes lion-head gargoyles, two-light belfry openings, a west window, and splayed ringing chamber windows made of red brick. The nave and chancel roofs, dating from the 15th century, feature coupled rafters and canted designs with unusual cavetto-moulded eaves sprockets. In 1870, moulded crownposts were added to the existing nave tie-beams, and both roofs were ceiled with boarding.

The north nave wall contains two windows from around 1500. A notable 15th-century octagonal limestone font features sunk panels on the bowl adorned with roses, lions, and angels, while the stem is decorated with seated lion figures at each angle. The north chancel wall houses a fine 17th-century monument to John and Elizabeth Acton, featuring their kneeling effigies overshadowed by the skeletal figure of Death, along with representations of their five children. The chancel floor is laid with six marble slabs commemorating late 17th and early 18th-century members of the Acton family, while another slab from 1689 is found in the nave floor.