Parish Church Of Saint Peter And Saint Paul Parish Church Of Saints Peter And Paul

Parish Church of Saints Peter and Paul

This large parish church stands at the centre of Blockley village. The structure dates from the late 12th century with 14th-century additions, 17th-century alterations, and an imposing Gothic west tower built in 1725–1727 by Edward or Thomas Woodward of Chipping Campden. The building is constructed in coursed and uncoursed limestone rubble with ashlar dressings to the north aisle, clerestory, south elevation, and west tower. The roofs are finished in slate and lead, with some stone slates.

The plan comprises a chancel, an aisled nave with a north aisle continued as a late 13th-century chantry chapel to the north of the chancel, north and south porches, and a west tower. The church is of three bays.

The late Norman chancel retains evidence of earlier vaulting with surviving springers. The east wall was rebuilt in 1838 and now contains a five-light east window of that date by Richard Hulls. A pointed-arched doorway of the 14th century opens to the south, with 15th-century two- and three-light windows. The south side is articulated into three recessed bays with arches and pendants to a corbel table. The north side retains a late 12th-century window with trumpet-scalloped capitals to engaged shafts. The interior chancel displays broad-leafed carvings to the scalloped capitals of the rere arches and vaulting shafts. An early 14th-century piscina and three sedilia occupy crocketed ogee arches to the south. The chancel arch features an early 14th-century pointed moulded arch set upon late 12th-century responds with scalloped capitals. A 14th-century common-rafter roof is present, and the entrance to the rood stairs lies to the south.

The north aisle, begun in the early 14th century, has its easternmost bay flanked by late 13th-century clasped and wall buttresses. This bay contains a 13th-century trefoiled lancet above another lancet to the east, and an 18th-century two-light Y-tracery window above a 13th-century trefoiled lancet to the north. The remainder of the aisle, which was built in the 14th century, is defined by offset angle and wall buttresses. Its two eastern bays contain a 17th-century three-light plain mullioned window and paired 14th-century trefoiled lancets above 15th-century square-headed three-light windows with trefoiled ogee lights. Label moulds frame 15th-century two- and three-light square-headed windows with cinquefoil heads. A steeply gabled north porch of 1871, decorated with lancets and a hood mould over a pointed-arched doorway, was inserted here. An 18th-century three-light west window and a 15th-century parapet complete this elevation. The north clerestory displays label moulds above four three-light cinquefoil-headed windows. The four-bay north aisle arcade consists of 14th-century chamfered arches of two orders set on octagonal piers. At the west end of the nave stand two buttresses flanking a blocked late 12th-century doorway with trumpet-scalloped capitals. The nave itself has a plastered 18th-century ceiling with small decorative plaster panels. The north aisle preserves a 15th-century roof with moulded and quartered beams.

The south elevation was probably rebuilt in the early 17th century. The early 17th-century south porch features crocketed pinnacles flanking a crenellated parapet with a sundial above a keyed semi-circular arched doorway carrying strapwork spandrels. Three-light windows with elaborately cusped panel tracery flank the porch. A label mould spans what is probably a 17th-century three-light window with panel tracery to the east, and three-light cinquefoil-headed clerestory windows. Early 17th-century lead rainwater heads and a plain parapet are present. The south nave was remodelled and a clerestory was built in 1636–1637.

The four-stage west tower is a fine example of provincial Gothic craftsmanship by Edward or Thomas Woodward, combining features from 15th-century Gloucestershire wool-churches (notably the belfry windows, which reflect those at Chipping Campden) with some Kentian Gothick characteristics. String courses link set-back angle buttresses. The west doorway is keyed and semi-circular arched with sunk spandrels, positioned beneath a classical semi-circular arched window with key and impost blocks. The belfry stage features ogee hood moulds above three-light Gothick windows, each with quatrefoils to the tympanum and louvred lights flanking a blind light. The tower is finished with a cornice, plain parapet, and crocketed pinnacles.

The interior contains notable monuments, including the Rushout and Childe Memorials in the north aisle extension and several busts by Rysbrack. A fine baroque wall monument to Edward Croft (died 1717) on the south wall was executed by Edward Woodward. A wooden 15th-century chancel screen survives, and an unusual piscina is positioned at the corner of the east respond. Galleries have been removed.