Description

BISHOPS WALTHAM ST. PETER'S STREET
SU 55 17
9/7 Church of St. Peter
6.3.67
II*

Parish Church. Building on earlier site by Henry de Blois 1136, chancel C15
(William of Wickham), south-west tower 1584, north aisle 1637, south aisle
1652, restorations of 1849 (west end of nave), 1868, and by Sir Thomas Jackson
of 1897 Walls of flint with stone dressings, also ashlar stonework (of stone
quarried from the ruins of the nearby Bishops Palace), some of chequer pattern
with flint, later walls of squared knapped flint. Tile roof, separate roofs to
the aisles. Nave with 4-bay arcade, aisleless chancel, tower at the west end
of the south aisle, a gallery to the extended nave and north aisle, south porch
(1613). The elevations of Perpendicular style have stepped buttresses, diagonal
at the east ends, windows of Perpendicular tracery and coupled lights in square
frames. The interior has a north arcade of c1200, resting on plain circular
shafts (1897) and a similar south arcade (1897) with round and octagonal columns,
chancel arch (Early English) of 1897. Norman (possibly Saxon) font, unearthed
1933 and returned to the church, fine panelled pulpit of 1626 (the gift of
Bishop Lancelot Andrewes) with matching C19 sounding board. Communion rail of
c1600 with turned rails, main west gallery of 1733 with panelled font supported
on thin cast-iron columns, a carved stone coat of arms of Thomas Longton (1493),
and decorative stone fragments from the Norman church. Wall monuments include
two hatchments, a Royal Coat of Arms of Charles II, small wall monuments to
Thomas Ashton (a bust in a classical frame) 1629 and Ann Cruys 1624, other monu-
ments to Mary Kerly 1716, Richard Biggs 1749, Jane Wright 1753, and several wall
monuments in the chancel of the C18 and early C19. The church is noted for its
post-reformation alterations, in a late-Perpendicular or Elizabethan Gothic style
with a classical plinth moulding to the south aisle, built during the interregnum.

Listing NGR: SU5546817576

External Links

• Historic England Listing
• Wikidata Q17540978

External links are from the relevant listing authority and, where applicable, Wikidata. Wikidata IDs may be related buildings as well as this specific building. If you want to add or update a link, you will need to do so by editing the Wikidata entry.

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