Church of St Peter and St Paul (Church of England), Tring, Hertfordshire

Description

TRING CHURCH YARD
SP 9211
(North side)
11/53 Church of St. Peter
21.9.51 and.St. Paul (C of E)
GV I
Parish Church. C13 fabric and plan of aisled nave and square ended
chancel, N aisle rebuilt, S aisle widened and S porch built in early C14
and lower stages of W tower soon after. Nave arcades rebuilt,
clearstorey added, tower completed and chancel arch renewed in C15.
Chancel and N aisle partly rebuilt in C16, NE vestry 1825 and larger
choir vestry with organ 1874. Interior thoroughly restored 1861-2 with
new oak seating and pulpit designed by William Slater and made by
James Forsyth of London, and chancel roof rebuilt to original height.
Restoration 1880-2 by Carpenter and Ingelow who renewed piers and bases
of nave arcades, rebuilt clearstoreys and N aisle, and moved Gore tomb
to N aisle. Oak rood-screen, panelling and roof gilding and painting in
chancel, and chapel formed in E end of S aisle 1899-1900 by G.F. Bodley.
Contemporary painted crucifixion on E wall of nave by Messrs. Powell of
London. Flint rubble faced with uncoursed knapped flint and random
blocks of stone, chequer-work embattled parapets to each part of stone
and flint, Totternhoe clunch much renewed in Ancaster stone, low pitched
metal roofs. A large Perp town church consisting of chancel,
clearstoreyed nave, aisles, S porch, massive W tower with spike and
vane, vestries along N side of chancel, and octagonal turret rising
above stair to rood loft in N jamb of chancel arch. Remaining from C13
are a lancet window by altar on N wall of chancel, moulded rear-arch of
S doorway which itself is a C19 copy of a C13 original (doorway re-used
in C14 aisle), and 3-lobed bell capital from arcade set in a niche in N
aisle. 3-bays chancel with encaustic tile floor. Low pitched roof with
carved bosses at junctions of ridge and purlins with principals and all
painted and gilded in medieval multicolours. 5-light E window (1851) with
traceried pointed top and stained glass by Clayton and Bell. N wall has
C13 lancet with deep internal splays and small rectangular locker recess
below. A 2 bays arcade in C15 style gives onto choir vestry with organ
and N window re-used from chancel N wall, matching the 3 early C16 S
windows of chancel each of 3 cinquefoil lights. Stained glass by Kempe
in 2 Western windows. Several C17 monuments to Anderson family of
Pendley set in floor. Carved wooden reredos, riddel posts, and standing
angels, painted and gilded, by W.E. Howard 1928. E window of choir
vestry of 2 trefoil lights with quatrefoil in head also may have come
from chancel N wall. Beside it wall monument to William Kay d.1838 by
J. Browne of London with seated female mourner and urn in Greek aedicule,
pilastered with trusses. C14 pointed canopy fragment in N aisle niche
probably from sedilia in chancel and fragments of early C14 figure tiles
kept in church, and others dispersed in mid C19 restoration and now in
British Museum and V and A Museum, probably from a tiled frieze around
chancel. Lofty and wide 6-bays nave with C15 open timber roof. 6-bays N
and S arcades have unusual piers each with 4 attached shafts and thin
fillets between hollows at the diagonals tieing into the polygonal base.
The capitals, arches, and imposts are C15 but the piers are careful
Portland stone copies c.1882 of the original church piers and bases then
built into All Saints Church, Long Marston (q.v.). Blunt-pointed clear-
storey windows of 3 cinquefoil lights renewed at same time with roof
supported on scaffolding. 14 large carved stone C15 fabulous beasts in
spandrels of arcades support shafts running up to support moulded corbels
to 14 carved wooden figures at the springing of the moulded curved
braces to the cranked tie beams of the roof with moulded ridge, purlins
and wallplates supporting flat rafters, and moulded sub-principals.
Wide C14 chancel arch of 2 deeply moulded orders, engaged shafts and
moulded caps and bases with narrow 3-centred arched headed doorway above
N springing about lm above the level of the balustraded rood loft
surmounting the traceried wooden screen. Crucifixion with kneeling angels
on diapered ground on wall above. Cut-off end of moulded medieval
rood-beam projects at S side. Sharply pointed C14 tall tower arch of 4
orders, with engaged shafts to 2nd and 3rd orders, flanked by high
church-wardens' pews of 1862 and tall narrow paintings of Moses and Aaron
presented by William Gore of Tring Park c.1715 when he 'restored and
beautified' the church. High up a small arched-headed window in tower.
The North aisle has a large C15 E window of 5 lights with tracery
unglazed now opening to choir vestry, 3-centred arched headed narrow
doorway to rood stair in SE corner, W window with C14 rear arch and
renewed tracery of 2 trefoil lights with quatrefoil over. The rest of the
aisle and roof were removed and rebuilt to facilitate engineering works
to the arcades c.1881-2, with 4 3-light windows with transoms and
segmental heads and a chamfered pointed niche near middle with
architectural fragments built-in. Large standing monument on axis of S
door to Sir William Gore d.1707 and Elizabeth his wife d.1705, possibly
by Grinling Gibbons (half-opened pea-pod carved in foliage top right)
but probably by Nost (Pevsner(1977)368). In black and grey marbles a
sarcophogus with inscribed front panel and 2 life-size figures of
Sir William in robes of Lord Mayor of London, and Lady Gore, reclining on
the concave sides of the plinth to a large gadrooned urn with flambeau
top, backed by a wide Corinthian aedicule with segmental open pediment,
and decorated with mantling over the cap, mace and sword of office of
Lord Mayor. Monument moved here from chancel 1882. To left, wall monument
to John Gore d.1765 with fluted Ionic pilasters to aedicule and flared
sarcophogus before an obelisk bearing a portrait medallion, all in
coloured marbles, with flanking putti. C13 grave slab with raised cross
fleurie set into floor. Moulded timbers suggest old roof rebuilt.
Memorial tablet on wall at E part to Mary Anderson d.1638 with Latin
verses, came from chancel. The south aisle has C15 E window like that of
N aisle and has stained glass by Kempe. 4 windows in S wall of 3
cinquefoil lights, eastern 2 like S windows of chancel, other 2
have a wider central light as have the clearstorey windows. Stained
glass by Kempe's firm. W window similar. Moulded roof timbers probably
C15. S door flanked by stone C19 tablets of Lord's Prayer and Creed.
Fine C14 chamfered and trefoil headed piscina near alter of Lady Chapel
concealed by doors when chapel restored with screen and panelling in
1900. Large square 3-stage W tower has massive corner buttresses and
octagonal SE stair turret carried higher than embattled parapet. 3-light
cinquefoil bell-chamber opening in each face under label with only outer
openings pierced. String courses between stages. Single slits to middle
stage with openwork clock face on S only. Tall 3-light W window with
traceried pointed head and stained glass by Clayton & Bell, over C14 W
door much restored. Lower stage of tower has C14 stone tierceron vault
with chamfered ribs, central circular bell-opening, and ridge-ribs which
are not aligned on centre. Tough octagonal font of 1862 in coloured
Streetly stone inlaid with coloured marbles and cement. Gabled and
battlemented South porch with ashlar front and continuously moulded
arch. Elaborate S doorway reproducing C13 with 3 nook-shafts of stone
and water-holding bases. (VCH(1908)289-91: RCHM(1911)222-3:
Kelly(1914)250: Pevsner(1977)367-8: A short guide to the Parish Church
of St. Peter and St. Paul Tring, Tring, Rev.Ed.1977).

Listing NGR: SP9243611495

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British Listed Buildings

History in Structure

Church of St Peter and St Paul (Church of England)

A Grade I Listed Building in Tring, Hertfordshire

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Description

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