Details
SANDRINGHAM WOLFERTON
TF 62 NE
2/66 Church of St Peter
15.,3.60
II*
Parish church, c1300, restored after fire of 1486, and by A. Blomfield 1886
at expense of the Prince of Wales. Uncoursed carstone with limestone
dressings, tiled roof. West tower, nave, chancel; north and south aisles,
south porch, late C19 organbay and vestry to north. 3 stage embattled west
tower with full height ashlared buttresses, limestone plinth; west door
with continuous mouldings of 3 orders, string course above; 2-light west
window with cusped heads under a quatrefoil; traceried sound holes to 2nd
stage north, west and south of cinquefoil within wide stone surround; 2-light
bell openings with cusped reticulated tracery, string course below parapet
of ball flowers within waves. North and south aisles alike: opposing doorways
with deep continuous ogee moulding of 2 orders, figure stops, cusped ogee
headed niche over south doorway, diagonal buttresses, gable parapet to east;
some herringbone work in north aisle and to east return of south aisle;
3 openings to north and south: towards west (south aisle only) 2 trefoil
headed lights with trefoil tracery under basket arch, to centre, 3 cinquefoil
headed lights under 4-centred arch; towards east, 3 ogee headed lights under
segmental arch; double trefoil headed opening to west of south porch;
west and east returns of aisles with cusped Y tracery openings, that to east
of north aisle now externally blocked by organbay. 5 double light clerestorey
openings to north and south nave. Large south porch with gable parapet and
angle buttresses, arch of 5 orders with ogee mouldings, a cusped niche either
side with stone dressings and carstone to rear, 2-light reticulated openings
to returns, roof renewed, octagonal plinth to right of south doorway. Lower
chancel with gable parapet and cross; south chancel with central priest's
door with continuous moulding, hood mould running into string course and
steep pitched pediment integral with arch; low retangular blocked opening
to left, double trefoil headed light to right; 3-light multicusped
reticulated east window renewed. Late C19 additions of vestry and organbay
in carstone to angle of north aisle and chancel. Interior: 5 bay arcade
to north and south, octagonal piers, double chamfered arches, the outer
chamfers being hollow, hood mould with grotesque stops above arches, piers
and arches reddened from fire of 1486. Floor to west bay lower; low
octagonal plinth to east side of doorways, that to south a copy, benches
to north aisle walls and around piers, small square recess to each wall;
low double headed recess with figure corbel between arches to west wall
of north aisle. Roof partly renewed in late C19, boarded lining, C15 tie
beams arch-braced from wooden wallposts of standing apostles, queen posts
supporting collars having tracery above, hammer beams of clerics holding
shields alternating with ties. Tall tower arch with polygonal shafts, figure
corbel above, fireplace to south wall of tower with stone segmental arch.
Chancel: arch with continuous moulding and polygonal shafts having chamfered
arch above; C19 roof of arch braced collars with fretwork tracery above;
curved wind braces, 3-stepped sedilia with arcade of cusp headed lights having
shafts without capitals, attached piscina. with trefoil head; choir stalls
incorporate 4 C15 poppyheads and some traceried panels. Wall painting above
chancel arch of Christ in glory, late C19 in medieval style perhaps copied
from original wall painting, part above collar beam on fabric, stair to roof
loft to left with wooden arch. Screens: late C15 chancel screen with
traceried painted panels much erased, renewed C19 with traceried lights and
rood loft with vine frieze; early C14 parclose screen to south aisle renewed,
delicate Decorated tracery, ogee headed tracery lights, grotesques to top
rail and cusps of tracery, lion heads to crocketted finials on muntin
buttresses; C15 parclose screen to north aisle, traceried lights and tracery
to panels with tudor rose and cusps; C15 tower screen renewed, crocketted
ogee tracery to some lower panels. Trefoil headed piscina to north aisle,
multicusped piscina and some medieval encaustic tiles to south aisle chapel.
C16 table with very bulbous legs to north aisle chapel; oak table with frieze
dated 1637 and with initials TE TE in marquetry, at time of survey by tower;
Baroque C17 lectern painted black with gilded classical ornament; eagle
lectern of silvered brass from Church of St. Mary Magdelene Sandringham (q.v.
2/47) presented by HRH Alexandra Princess of Wales as thanks offering for
recovery of Prince of Wales from typhoid in 1871. Square sandstone mensa
in pavement of west bay of south aisle; 2 consecration crosses on each of
north and west walls; alms box from structural timber with braced wrought
iron lid having C15 flower head rivets; Royal achievement 1844 in cross
stitch on felt, south aisle.
Listing NGR: TF6571928180