Church of St Peter

Details

PETERSTOW CP

SO 52 SE 6/114 Church of St Peter

GV II*

Parish church. C12, C13, C14 and C15, possibly with Anglo-Saxon remains; C19 and mid-C20 restorations and alterations. Sandstone rubble and ashlar with tiled roofs. Small west tower overlapping west end of four-bay nave, two-bay chancel with north vestry and south porch. West tower: probably C15, protruding from nave, has deep moulded and chamfered plinth with a string course above; two major external stages, that to bell-chamber diminished on west side by off-set at level corresponding with apex of nave roof; above bell-chamber is another string course, embattled parapet and octagonal spire. Bell-chamber has one 2-light trefoiled opening under square head to south and west sides and one square-headed opening to north. Nave has north wall reported by RCHM as being partly pre-Conquest because of enormous stones at west end; the same wall has three trefoil-headed single light windows and towards the west end a small round-headed C12 window. Between easternmost and next light to west is a buttress. C19 vestry has angle buttresses west doorway is moulded with a 2-centred head and label, the last partly obscured by a buttress. On the east side is 2-light window with 2-centred head, quatre- foil tracery and label, each of the lights running up to blind ogees in typanum above the glazing; stack to north gable. Chancel has high-set 2-light ogeed and trefoiled east window with deeply cusped quatrefoil tracery in a 2-centred head; south wall has two single-light windows with ogeed and trefoiled heads and chamfered surrounds, between which is a blocked priest's door. South side of nave is divided from chancel by a buttress. To the west of this is a pair of C19 chamfered lancets and to the east of the porch one lancet similar, but largerly C13 and unrestored; to its west a restored lancet. South porch is probably c1900 and timber-framed on sandstone plinth; three principal trusses are cusped to form trefoils. Front has cambered collar beam on arch-braces carried on inner posts tied back to wall-plate supported by outer posts; tie- beam supports cusped king-strut and two angle struts with trefoiled pattern on bargeboards. Six open upper side panels within cinquefoiled heads to each return above a pair of side benches. South doorway, probably C14, is chamfered with 2-centred head and pyramidal stops to base of jambs. Interior has scissor- braces, some bolted, perhaps C14 and restored, to nave roof; chancel has C19 wagon roof. C13 chancel arch is altered and has 2-centred arch with double chamfers and moulded label above half-round responds with later foliated capitals. Chancel has C14 piscina to south side with recessed trefoiled head and circular drain. To north of altar is former circular font bowl with cusped underside removed from, and then restored to, the church; brass cross on altar for William and Maria Davis, died 1870 and 1861; to north side a chair probably C19, with turned bobbin balusters and rails in C13 style. East window has stained glass depicting Crucifixion and Benediction as memorial to George Isreal Pellew, Rector, died 1897, with inscription: "In that he died unto sin once. In that he liveth he liveth unto God". North window has stained glass showing Christ washing the feet of a disciple with the inscription "I have given you an example"; east window of south wall is for John Jebb, Rector, died 1886, window further west is for Frederick Leonard Woodall, 1903. Organ to north side is probably early C20, restored 1970; to the west of it a wall plaque in brass for Thomas Ross, Rector, died 1712 and his wife, Susanna, died 1692. C19 doorway to vestry has 2-centred head and roll moulding. Vestry contains diagonal passageway to nave and pulpit, drainage plan of church and churchyard dated 1972 and photographs of rectors back to 1886, a portrait sketch of John Jebb, Rector until 1886, by W Smith, London, 1854, signed, "faithfully yours/ John Jebb", and a photograph ntake in 1919 of a portrait of an earlier rector, the Revd Charles Maitland Babington 1810-41. Nave has late C19 brass lectern; early C17 pulpit, part hexgonal with Ionic capitals, arcaded and dentilled upper panels, reached from vestry by C19 moulded arch with 2-centred head. To south of chancel arch is a fragment of a coffin lid with foliated cross circular design; north window at east end of nave has stained glass depicting Christ with inscription "THIS IS MY BELOVED SON HEAR HIM", to its west a triangular headed marble wall monument for James Matthews died 1840; reset bearded head-stop from label, perhaps C13, between west wall and westernmost window of north wall. Font is C15 with octagonal echamferd base, plain octagonal stem and octagonal bowl chamfered on underside; west wall has exposed zone of coursed sandstone, with squint from tower, reported by RCHM as being blocked square-headed opening to tower. (BoE, p 271; RCHM Vol I, p 217-18).

Listing NGR: SO5639024902

Legacy

The contents of this record have been generated from a legacy data system.

Legacy System number:

399706

Legacy System:

LBS

Sources

Books and journals
Inventory of Herefordshire I South West, (1931), 217-18
Pevsner, N, The Buildings of England: Herefordshire, (1963), 271

End of official list entry

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