Church Of St Peter

Church of St. Peter

Parish church built in 1728 for George Wright. The building is constructed in limestone with a grey rusticated plinth and yellow ashlar above, with lead roofs. It comprises a chancel, nave, and west tower.

The tower is of two stages, divided by a moulded string at the level of the nave eaves cornice. The lower stage has rusticated corner pilasters, while the upper stage has plain pilasters. The belfry windows are two-light gothic designs with keyblocks and strings at springer level. The tower is topped with a moulded coping, a weathered lead blocking course with vases at each corner, an arcaded cupola with an ogee lead dome, and a wrought iron weather vane. The west front of the lower stage features a semicircular arched doorway with a rusticated voussoir surround and keyblock, with a two-light gothic window above. On the south side is a large semicircular headed niche with a keyblock, and an impost band carried around the tower at the cill level of the window.

The nave's south front comprises five bays with a rusticated base and outer pilasters. A modillion cornice runs across the centre bay, which is flanked by engaged fluted Ionic columns supporting a projecting section of entablature and pediment. The two flanking bays on each side are separated by fluted Ionic pilasters. All columns and pilasters stand on projecting rusticated plinths. The central feature is an 18-panelled door with a radiating fanlight head with carved centre, set within an arched opening with an architrave. This is framed by a rectangular shouldered architrave above which sits a cornice and semi-circular pediment. Each bay contains a rectangular panel at high level. Four semicircular headed windows with architrave surrounds, key and impost blocks, and moulded cills with aprons below are positioned across the facade. Corner pilasters return on the east and north walls; on the west the pediment is interrupted by the tower, while the east end has a complete pediment. The chancel is lower and narrower than the nave but employs similar architectural details, with one arched window to the side walls and an arched niche and pediment to the east wall.

The interior walls are faced with ashlar stone above a panelled dado, with plaster ceilings throughout. The nave walls are articulated into five bays with Corinthian pilasters supporting an entablature with an enriched cornice and frieze featuring alternating open books and mitres over the pilasters. The windows are leaded with radiating heads, deeply recessed with architraves and moulded panels above. The west wall contains a wide tower arch (housing the organ) with a semicircular head, a panelled soffit, architrave, impost, and keyblocks. The entablature above the arch is broken, with its ends supported on large carved brackets flanking carved and painted royal arms. The walls flanking this arch are panelled. The east end of the nave is arranged similarly. To the left of the chancel arch stands the original pulpit on a wine-glass base, with a sounding board featuring an elaborate carved cornice and inlaid soffit. Above the chancel arch are carved and painted arms of George I. The plaster ceiling of the nave features a central oval surrounded by panels, all with enriched mouldings. The pews are panelled throughout.

The chancel has a panelled dado and a reredos with fluted Corinthian outer pilasters and pairs of columns flanking the centre, supporting a broken entablature and open segmental pediment with a blocking course carrying urn-shaped candlesticks. The altar rails and steps are semicircular in plan, and the sanctuary floor is paved with black and white marble. The wrought iron railings feature scroll panels and gates. The coved plaster ceiling is panelled with an oval centre and enriched surrounding moulding, while the cove is decorated with elaborate floral plasterwork. A small portable font stands in the chancel arch.

A monument erected in 1728 to George Wright, Lord Keeper of the Great Seal, and his father Sir Nathan Wright stands to the right of the chancel arch in the nave. The monument features two life-size figures on a plinth between Corinthian pilasters supporting a segmental pediment, with carved drapery above and behind the figures.