Church Of St Peter And St Paul

Church of Saint Peter and Saint Paul

Parish church of Norman origin, substantially developed through the medieval period and later restored. The building displays work from approximately 1300 (lower stages of the tower, transepts and nave), the 14th century (upper stage of tower), and 1502 (chancel rebuilt, porch added, and clerestory walls raised). The church received minor restoration including a parapet to the tower in 1832 by Richard Carver. Substantial work was undertaken in 1881-2 by John Oldrid Scott, when the north aisle wall and door were taken down and rebuilt, render was removed, a vestry was added, and parapets were partly renewed and the chancel reroofed. Further work to parapets and chancel roof occurred in 1967-8.

The tower is constructed of local grey sandstone, while the remainder of the church is built of blue lias squared and coursed with some rubble, with Ham stone dressings. Slate roofs sit behind pierced quatrefoil parapets. The crenellated aisles feature a blind trefoil-headed arcade to the south transepts. The chancel and north-east vestry also have crenellated parapets.

The west end is buttressed with a 5-light window set between two 3-light windows to the aisles, and a moulded arched west door. The south aisle has two 3-light windows to the left of the porch and one to the right. The porch is a single storey structure with diagonal buttresses, a quatrefoil pierced parapet, gargoyles, and three crocketed niches containing late 19th-century figures by Harry Hems. The opening features a deeply moulded surround to a pointed arch with a fan-vaulted stone roof with pendant. The moulded 4-centred arch doorway contains a 19th-century door with decorative hinges. Remains of a 4-centred arch recess and pillar for a holy water stoup survive.

The south transept has setback buttresses, a 5-light window, a crocketed niche to the left, and a 4-light window on the east front. A stair turret is set in the angle with an arched doorway and a lancet above. Two 4-light windows light the chancel, with two 2-light windows and a door in the south-west corner to the north front. The chancel's east end has setback buttresses and a 5-light window, with a 2-light window to the vestry. The north front of the chancel has two 2-light windows. The north transept's east face has a 4-light window, the north front has a 5-light window, and the north aisle has three 3-light windows with buttresses between. A resited Norman doorway is present.

The octagonal one-stage tower has a crude pierced parapet, 2-light louvred bell-openings with cusped mullions and transoms, panel pilasters with gargoyles between, and a clock on the south front.

The interior displays exposed squared and coursed blue lias. Four-bay moulded arched arcades without capitals have banded blocks of Has, local sandstone and lias. Remains of a blocked ogee-headed 2-light clerestory window survive, with three 3-light windows to the clerestory. Crossing arches are chamfered in three orders with black marble linked bell capitals to the chancel arch. Stone seats are positioned at the nave arch piers. Late 19th-century roofs include a cambered compartment ceiling to the north aisle, a corbelled collar beam roof with arched struts to the chancel, and a wooden fan vault to the tower.

A cinquefoil-headed piscina is located in the north transept. The south transept has a chamfered 4-centred arch doorway to the rood stair with a similar opening above.

19th-century pews are present. The chancel contains 1920s-1930s linenfold panelling with a decorative carved cornice, finely carved altar rails, and a reredos by Bligh Bond. A brass lectern presented in 1888 by the Barrett family of Noredon (who funded much of the Scott restoration) is mounted on a stone pulpit from 1882.

Late 19th and early 20th-century stained glass is by Burlesson and Grylls, and by Heaton, Butler and Baine. A 12th-century wooden coffer is preserved. A brass chandelier dated 1809 and signed by Wescott of Bristol hangs in the church.

Monuments include a monumental effigy of a franklin on a later chest, said to be inscribed "Toma atte Sloo" on the fold of the cote and thought to date from circa 1360. A cadaver effigy lies on a well-preserved Perpendicular chest tomb, though not contemporary with it. A slate slab commemorates Robert Hooper who died in 1720, and a brass marks Elizabeth Butler who died in 1588.

A restored Perpendicular Hall stone font with a painted late 19th-century canopy is present. A painting on canvas depicts King David, or Saul, playing a harp with two angels nearby, with an egg-and-dart surround painted in the work.