Roman Catholic Church of St Peter and St Paul

Roman Catholic Church of St Peter and St Paul

This Roman Catholic church was built in 1835 by the local firm of Chapleo and Sons. It is a Georgian preaching box of three bays, orientated with the altar at the south east gable end.

The principal southern elevations are constructed of squared limestone rubble laid to courses with sandstone dressings, while the rear northern elevations are built of rubble stone without dressings. The roof is covered with stone slate.

The exterior is very simply detailed. It has a plain ashlar plinth, rusticated quoins, and an eaves string course to the south east gable, which is raised and coped with moulded stone and topped by a plain Latin cross. The opposite gable end has a small bellcote with ball finial. The entrance doorway and windows to the principal elevations have chamfered surrounds and simple hoodmoulds with stops shaped as shields. The east window is tall, with a two-centred arch and simple Y tracery. The side windows are similarly arched and contain timber sash windows divided into small panes with glazing bars; those to the arched portion imitate intersecting tracery. The entrance is positioned at the far northern end of the south west side wall. Scaring to the centre of the north west gable, which is otherwise blind, suggests the site of a previous entrance. The north eastern side wall is abutted by the presbytery (listed separately at Grade II) and, to the rear, by a modern boiler room and chimney. This elevation has a single window lighting the gallery, which has a plain rubble stone surround and retains a timber sash window similar to those of the southern side, with glazing bars imitating intersecting tracery.

The interior is largely undivided, with the sanctuary merely defined by steps. The northern half of the northernmost bay is partitioned off to form an entrance stair hall. The church retains a full complement of panelled box pews to both the ground floor and the small western gallery, except the centre of the gallery which is occupied by the organ. The panelling to the pews and gallery front have beading imitating trefoil-headed lancet windows. The walls are plastered. The east end is highlighted with a giant surround to the east window formed by triple shafts with acanthus-leaf capitals, flanked by giant blind openings with ogee arches framing smaller arched niches with hoodmoulds. Openings to the side walls, those to the west mainly being blind, also have hoodmoulds. The ceiling is square-panelled with gilt bosses in the form of Bottonée crosses.

The windows are plain glazed except for the east window, which has a polychrome geometric design incorporating figurative depictions of the Angel Gabriel and various saints.

The stone high altar, including a tabernacle and low reredos, remains in situ. A carved stone font beneath the gallery dates to 1875. Modern fittings including a free-standing altar with a painting of the Last Supper, confessional, and other sanctuary fittings are not of special architectural or historic interest.

The related presbytery, school room, outbuildings, boundary walls, and railings are listed separately at Grade II.