Church Of St Peter

A church of early 14th-century origins, substantially rebuilt in the late 14th and 15th centuries for the Greene family of Drayton House. The building was restored in 1869 and 1887. It is constructed of squared coursed limestone with an ashlar tower and lead roofs.

The church comprises an aisled nave, chancel, north chapel, south transept, porch and west tower. The south elevation of the chancel displays a 2-window range of 4-light Perpendicular windows with 4-centred arch heads, transoms and panel tracery, with a priest door below the right window. Two-stage buttresses sit between the windows. Above runs a shallow gabled roof with plain parapet and a pinnacle at the corner.

The east windows of the chancel and north chapel are identical 5-light Perpendicular windows of similar character to those on the south elevation, each set beneath shallow gabled parapets with finials. The north elevation of the north chapel contains a 2-window range of 3-light Perpendicular windows, each reduced by one light at the centre panel, with 2- and 3-stage buttresses between and at the corners. A shallow castellated parapet with corner pinnacles runs above.

The south transept features a 6-light Perpendicular south window with hollow reveals and a segmental arch head, with castellated transoms. Similar 4-light west and east windows (the latter with a central king mullion) light this elevation, which has a shallow gabled roof and plain parapet with finial and corner pinnacles.

The south aisle extends for 2 bays, containing 2-light Perpendicular windows with hollow reveals and 4-centred arch heads, beneath a lean-to roof with plain ashlar parapet. A shallow gabled porch in the bay to the left has a finial and pinnacles, with a roll-moulded outer doorway and an early 14th-century moulded inner doorway retaining remains of Angel label stops.

The north aisle comprises 5 bays with a 4-window range of 4-light Perpendicular windows exhibiting 4-centred arch heads, castellated transoms and tracery with mouchettes. A north doorway in the far right bay has a 2-centred arch head, while a similar west window lights this elevation. The lean-to roof has plain ashlar parapets with a corner pinnacle.

The nave clerestory displays a 4-window range of 3-light Perpendicular windows with 4-centred arch heads beneath a shallow gabled roof with plain ashlar parapets and finial.

The west tower is a fine late 15th-century structure of 4 stages with set-back 3-stage angle buttresses to the lower 3 stages. The upper stage features panelled pilasters at the corners. A quatrefoil frieze runs around the base plinth, with a similar frieze containing diagonals between the second and third stages. The west door has a 2-centred arch head with square surround and quatrefoils in the spandrels, above which sits a 3-light west window with hollow reveals and 2-centred arch head. Small square-head 2-light windows light the south and west faces of the third stage. Two-light bell-chamber openings on each face of the upper stage feature ogee-head hood moulds. A quatrefoil frieze above precedes castellated ashlar parapets with central gargoyles. Large panelled and crocketed pinnacles at the corners are linked by flying buttresses to an octagonal lantern. The cardinal faces of the lantern contain 3-light Perpendicular windows with 4-centred arch heads, transoms and intersecting tracery, with plain corner pilasters terminating as crocketed pinnacles. Castellated ashlar parapets surround the lantern. Central wrought-iron finials with compass points and weathervanes crown all pinnacles. A sundial marks the south face of the tower.

Two inscribed tablets attached to the south aisle and porch feature bolection-moulded pilasters.

Interior

The interior contains a 4-bay nave arcade of double-chamfered arches with octagonal piers. Double-chamfered arches with octagonal responds separate the chancel, north chapel and north aisle. A tall triple-chamfered tower arch rests on semi-circular responds.

The north aisle retains a Perpendicular roof structure with moulded cross beams and bosses; other roofs date largely from the 19th century. An early 14th-century piscina and double sedilia to the right of the altar feature crocketed gables with a pinnacle between them. A shallow tomb recess with cusping lies in the north aisle. A Perpendicular style stone screen spans the south transept. Fifteenth-century bench ends in the south aisle display fleur-de-lys and carved head poppy heads. An octagonal font stands in the nave.

Monuments

The church contains a significant collection of monuments. Sir Rolf Greene (died 1417), a work by Thomas Prentys and Robert Sutton costing 40 pounds, features a pair of alabaster effigies on a chest tomb in the north chapel, with angels under canopies around the sides, vaulted canopies above the heads of each figure, and the bases of shafts to support a complete canopy overhead.

Henry Green (died 1467) and his wife are commemorated by a chest tomb with panels and shields in the south transept, bearing 2 brass effigies on the lid. Edward Stafford, second Earl of Wiltshire (died 1499), is represented by an alabaster effigy on a chest tomb with lozenge panels inside cusped squared panels, also in the south transept.

William, the infant son of the first Earl of Peterborough (died 1625), is remembered by a plain tablet with detached columns supporting an entablature with a semi-circular device above, positioned between early 14th-century pinnacles with a central gable in the north chapel.

Roger Lane (died 1690) and John Halford (died 1690) have inscribed tablets in the chancel floor. Lady Mary Mordaunt, Duchess of Norfolk (died 1705), is commemorated by a semi-reclining white marble figure on a chest tomb with bolection-moulded pilasters in the north chapel.

Sir John Germain (died 1718) is represented by a semi-reclining marble figure in armour on a chest tomb with 3 smaller semi-reclining figures. Lady Elizabeth Germain (died 1760) is marked by an inscribed brass tablet, also in the north chapel.

Charles Sackville, fifth Duke of Dorset (died 1843), has a white marble chest tomb by Westmacott Junior featuring a draped mantle, shield, coronet and a lifesize angel seated alongside. Nineteenth-century tablets commemorate the Sackville family of Drayton House, located in the north chapel.

Stained Glass and Decoration

The north aisle windows retain panels of reset medieval glass dating from circa 1330-40, depicting 16 figures originally from a Jesse window, with the exception of a kneeling figure. The centre bands of the south chancel windows also contain medieval glass. Six windows with 19th-century stained glass illuminate the north and south aisles and chancel. Two hatchments hang in the south transept, and painted Royal arms are displayed above the chancel arch.