Church Of St Peter And St Paul

The Church of St Peter and St Paul is a church with origins dating back to the 11th century, although the main structure is from the late 12th and early 13th centuries. A south porch was added in the 16th century (and restored in the 19th century), and a tower was constructed in 1843. The church is built of flint rubble with stone dressings, with ashlar facing on the tower. The roofs are covered in plain tiles, and the broach spire is wood shingled.

The church consists of a nave and aisles, a south porch, a tower, a chancel to the east, a former chapel to the north (now a vestry), and a chapel to the south. All window tracery has been restored, and the east window is decorated in the Perpendicular style. The timber-framed gabled porch has planked and studded oak doors.

Inside, the church has a stone floor. There are two-bay nave arcades with circular piers; the arches to the south are slightly chamfered, while those to the north have a doubled chamfer. A blocked 13th-century arch leads to the north chapel, and a 14th-century arch leads to the south chapel.

Notable fittings include a 1657 oak pulpit with panelled sections and guilloche bands, and a square stone font on an octagonal stone stem. The east window contains stained glass by Davell, dating from 1869. A significant wall painting on the west wall, dating from around 1200, depicts a purgatorial ladder. This painting is approximately 17 feet by 11 feet and is divided into two sections: the lower half illustrates torments and punishments, while the upper half portrays judgement and salvation. The painting includes figures such as the tree of knowledge with a serpent, the seven deadly sins, a cauldron, the three Marys, Elijah, Enoch, Christ defeating the devil, and Christ preaching to spirits in prison.

A panelled monument on the north chancel wall is dated 1562 and features a square stone tablet with flanking pilasters, a pediment, and a sun in the tympanum. In the south chancel chapel is a monument to Christian Hane, who died in 1752, featuring a white stone rectangular panel flanked by Doric pilasters with red marble inlay, a grey apron panel, and a swan-neck pediment with a shell above.