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St Peter's Collegiate church is Wolverhampton's most important and historic place of worship, a grand crucifiorm edifice in the heart of the city dominated by it's slender central tower. Most of the present building (with the exception of the Victorian chancel) is late medieval in the Perpendicular style, though a church has stood here for far longer, as witnessed by the Saxon cross-shaft standing in the churchyard.
The interior is impressive, the spaces tall and narrow and crowned by fine wooden ceilings studded with bosses, that over the nave being particularly fine. The outstanding furnishing is the rare medieval stone pulpit, it's staircase guarded by an amusing carved lion. There are several noteworthy monuments and some fine stained glass throughout the building.
St Peter, Thurston, Suffolk
Thurston is a large and busy village just off of the A14 not far from the edge of Bury St Edmunds, with the blessing of its own railway station on the Ipswich to Cambridge line. The church sits on the edge of the village, a large, crisp building that stands upright above the road to Pakenham. None of the rough-and-readiness of many of Suffolk's rural churches here, for what you see from the road is entirely of the 19th Century.
On this site, we have often come across the work of the unfashionable Victorian Suffolk architect Edward Hakewill, son of the more famous Henry Hakewill. He had worked extensively in Suffolk the 1860s, and is sometimes good, at Kenton, for instance. But he can also be very undistinguished, as at Rushmere, Brantham and Shottisham. The reason I was intrigued by Thurston is that it was the work of his lesser-known younger brother, John Henry Hakewill, and I was interested to see what he had got up to.
His brother Edward's usual approach was to go in, build a north aisle, reduce the internal furnishings to a polite middle-brow sacramentalism, and then leave. John Hakewill had rather more than that to do here, because of something that happened on the night of Sunday March 18th 1860. In common with most Suffolk churches, St Peter had been greatly neglected through the 18th and early 19th Centuries, and its need for a facelift had become obvious. In fact, John Hakewill had already been engaged as the architect for a thorough going-over of the old structure. But shortly before midnight, supposedly on the night before work was due to commence, the tower fell.
It is hard to imagine the effect of an incident like that on a tiny, remote, rural community. The one permanent, ageless structure in its midst suddenly disappeared overnight. The tower collapsed straight down, but falling rubble took out the nave and aisle roofs, as well as destroying piers of both arcades. The parishioners decided to do the obvious, and retreat into the chancel for services. However, just ten days later, the rest of the nave collapsed, bringing down what remained of the arcades and roofs, and destroying all the furnishings, including the pulpit and lectern.
And so, a decision was made to rebuild from scratch, accommodating the new church to the surviving chancel and porch. As Roy Tricker points out, Hakewill was very much of the prevailing opinion of the time that Decorated was the only suitable style for a medieval church (despite the fact that Suffolk's finest moments are mostly Perpendicular), and, as a Bury Post article of the time noted, Hakewill was determined that the new church should be entirely in Decorated and correct architecture, replacing the inferior architecture in the old structure.
And so, there it is today. The exterior is certainly impressive, and the church reopened barely 18 months later, at the cost of about £3,500, about three quarters of a million in today's money, an extraordinary bargain I would have thought. This must have been a huge church, even before Hakewill's rebuild - I wondered if it had been a match for Rougham, across the A14. Much of the chancel appears relatively original, despite considerable patching up. The imposing tower itself is beginning to mellow with age, although perhaps it still bears a disconcerting similarity to what might be the tower of a Typically English Village Church in a model village, thanks to Hakewill's insistence on 'correct' Dec. But when you consider what Richard Phipson did across the road at Finborough and Woolpit during the same decade, St Peter may have got off lightly.
You step into a large, tidy space full of light - no gloomy north aise here. Inevitably, there is an urban feel to the wholly 19th Century interior, although there are some earlier survivals. One of these is the font, a fine perpendicular piece whose foliage panels conceal a green man or two. Can it have come from here originally? It is hard to see how the font could have survived the collapse of the tower. Collected fragments of 15th Century glass include a number of striking heads, as well as parts of the figures of a cherubim, a pope and a bishop. Up in the chancel there is what appears to be a pair of delicious medieval angels holding scrolls, although they are, I think, 19th Century fakes. Certainly 15th Century are the stalls below, however, which survived the fall of the tower and have delightful little figures in the spandrels. There are a couple more medieval benches now placed at the west end of the south aisle, also with green men on them.
Bringing us right up to date is one of Suffolk's several sets of royal arms to Queen Elizabeth II (there are others not far off at Rattlesden and Lavenham, among others). This set is dated 1977, the year of the Silver Jubilee. The woodwork in the nave is of a decent quality, presumably installed as part of the same commission as the rebuilding, but the reredos in the chancel is rather finer, the work of Father Ernest Geldart, the Anglo-catholic carpenter-priest whose parish and studio were at Little Braxted in Essex. Its commission may give us some idea of the churchmanship here at Thurston in the early years of the 20th Century.
A name that many will associate with Bury St Edmunds is that of the Greene King brewery, and the Greene family are commemorated here at Thurston. Sir Walter Greene paid for the restoration of the chancel. The memorial windows to the Greene family are by the stained glass firm Ward & Hughes, and were installed over thirty years from 1890 to 1920. Ward & Hughes were a company that went through three distinct phases. In their early years they were often quite interesting, as across the border at Pentney in Norfolk, for example. Later in the 19th Century they became one of the largest mass-producing workshops in the country, churning out thousands of windows for hundreds of churches all over the world that are largely of a similar middle-brow quality. In the 20th Century, however, the wheels came off a bit, and the windows vary greatly. There is a feeling that patrons were given too much say in the design, which is always a mistake, and sometimes they can be pretty awful. But here at Thurston the glass is spectacular. The 1890 glass is certainly not run-of-the-mill, being a version in glass of Axel Ender's painting Easter Morning. Whether it is good or not is perhaps a matter of taste, but the other two windows are rather thrilling, and delightfully mawkish - witness the figure of Peace stooping to kiss the lips of Righteousness. There is a Ward & Hughes window in a similar style to these last two up the road at Pakenham.
Elsewhere in the church, the lovely 1950 window of the Adoration of the Magi at the east end of the south aisle is by E L Armitage for Powell & Sons, and it replaced damaged glass which commemorated a 14 months old child, Mary Adelaide Blake, who died in 1842. The date of the new window suggests that the old one suffered blast damge in the Second World War, a common fate for these Suffolk churches surrounded by American air bases. The best window in the church, however, is at the east end of the north aisle, and depicts the Raising of Jairus's Daughter in a quiet, painterly style. It remembers Isabella Blake, who died in 1856, and nobody seems to know who it is by. Intriguingly, given that this is also to a daughter of the Blake family, it seems possible that the lost window in the south aisle was by the same workshop.
For many years, Thurston church was difficult of access, so it is pleasing to discover that it is now open to strangers and pilgrims every day. Even more, the sign in the porch asks you to be careful not to accidentally lock the door on your way out.
Keble Chapel
Church of St Peter, Hinton Road, Bournemouth
Grade I Listed
List Entry Number: 1153014
Listing NGR: SZ0888791218
Details
101756 768/13/1 HINTON ROAD 11-OCT-01 (East side) CHURCH OF ST PETER
GV I
13/1 HINTON ROAD 1. 5l86 (East Side) Church} of St Peter
SZ 0891 13/1 5.5.52.
I GV
2. South aisle 1851, Edmund Pearce, rest of church, 1855-79, G E Street, large, Purbeck stone with Bath stone dressings, built in stages and fitted out gradually. Dominating west tower, 1869, and spire (important landmark, 202 ft high), 1879: west door up steps with 4-light Geometrical window over, 3rd stage with steeply pointed blind arcade with encircled quatrefoils in spandrels, belfry with paired 2-light windows, elaborate foliage-carved cornice and arcaded panelled parapet, spire of Midlands type, octagonal with 3 tiers of lucarnes and flying buttresses springing from gabled pinnacles with statues (by Redfern) in niches. Western transepts with 4-light Geometrical windows, 1874. Nave, 1855-9, has clerestory of 5 pairs of 2-light plate tracery windows between broad flat buttresses, with red sandstone bands to walls and voussoirs and foliage medallions in spandrels. North aisle has narrow cinquefoiled lancets, Pearce's south aisle 2-light Geometrical windows (glass by Wailes, 1852-9); gabled south porch with foliage-carved arch of 3 order and inner arcade to lancet windows. South transept gable window 4-light plate tracery, south-east sacristy added 1906 (Sir T G Jackson). North transept gable has 5 stepped cinquefoiled lancets under hoodmould, north-east vestries, built in Street style by H E Hawker, 1914-15, have 2 east gables. Big pairs of buttresses clasp corners of chancel, with 5-light Geometrical window- south chapel. Nave arcade of 5 bays, double-chamfered arches on octagonal colunms, black marble colonnettes to clerestory. Wall surfaces painted in 1873-7 by Clayton and Bell, medallions in spandrels, Rood in big trefoil over chancel arch, roof of arched braces on hammerbeams on black marble wall shafts, kingposts high up. North aisle lancets embraced by continuous trefoil-headed arcade on marble colonnettes, excellent early glass by Clayton and Bell, War Shrine Crucifix by Comper, l917. Western arch of nave of Wells strainer type with big openwork roundels in spandrels. Tower arch on piers with unusual fluting of classical type, glass in tower windows by Clayton and Bell. South-west transept has font by Street, 1855, octagonal with grey marble inlay in trefoil panels, south window glass by Percy Bacon, 1896. Chancel arch on black shafts on corbels, low marble chancel screen with iron railing. Pulpit, by Street, carved by Earp, exhibited 1862 Exhibition: circular, pink marble and alabaster with marble-oolumned trefoil-headed arcaded over frieze of inlaid panels, on short marble columns, tall angel supporting desk. Lectern: brass eagle 1872 (made by Potter) with railings to steps by Comper, 1915. Chancel, 1863-4, has 2-bay choir has elaborate dogtooth and foliage-carved arches on foliage capitals, with clustered shafts of pink marble and stone, sculptured scenes by Earp in cusped vesica panels in spandrels, pointed boarded wagon roof with painted patterning by Booley and Garner, 1891. Choir stalls with poppyheads, 1874, by Street, also by Street (made by Leaver of Maidenhead) the ornate and excellent parclose screens of openwork iron on twisted brass colunms, pavement by Comper, l9l5. Sanctuary, also 2 bays, rib-vaulted, with clustered marble wall shafts with shaft rings and foliage capitals, painted deocrations by Sir Arthur Blomfield, 1899 (executed by Powells). First bay has sedilia on both sides (within main arcade), backed by double arcade of alternating columns of pink alabaster (twisted)and black marble. Second bay aisleless, lined by Powell mosaics. East window has fine glass by Clayton and Bell, designed by Street, 1866. Reredos by Redfern, also designed by Street has Majestas in vesica flanked by angels, under gabled canopies, flanked by purple and green twisted marble columns, flanking Powell mosaics of angels, 1899, echoing design of predecessors by Burne-Jones which disintegrated. North transept screen to aisle by Comper, 1915, Minstrel Window by Clayton and Bell, 1874, sculpture of Christ and St Peter over doorway by Earp. South transept screen to aisle and altar cross and candlesticks to chapel by Sir T G Jackson, l906, murals by Heaton, Butler and Bayne, 1908, windows in transept and over altar by Clayton and Bell, 1867, and to south of chapel (particularly good) by Morris, Marshall, Faulkner and Co, 1864.
The Church of St Peter, Churchyard Cross, Lychgate, Chapel of the Resurrection, and 2 groups of gravestones form a group.
Listing NGR: SZ0888791218
historicengland.org.uk/listing/the-list/list-entry/1153014
St Peter's church in the centre of Bournemouth, Dorset; one of the great Gothic Revival churches of the 19th century and now serving as the parish church of Bournemouth. On the site of a plain, slightly earlier church, this building was commissioned by the priest, Alexander Morden Bennett, who moved to the living from London in 1845.
In 1853 Bennett chose George Edmund Street, architect of the London Law Courts, to design the proposed new church. The church grew stage by stage and Street in turn commissioned work from some of the most famous names of the era, including Burne-Jones, George Frederick Bodley, Sir Ninian Comper, William Wailes and Thomas Earp. There is even one small window by William Morris.
As stated in yesterday's post, on Saturday we had a guest staying over.
Before then, there was coffee, hunting and gathering at Tesco in Whitfield, then some last minute tidying up of the house, so it wouldn't look too shabby when Jill arrived.
Jill was the wife of a guy I served with in the RAF, he passed away few years back, and we met back up with Jill and her daughter at the funeral. And we have been in contact since.
After some hard times, she is now very much on the up, so a weekend at Chez Jelltex was arranged, with Jill due to arrive at about ten.
Sadly, the weather had other ideas and was going to me mild, grey and drizzly, so until it cleared somewhat, there were endless brews and chats about what has happened in the six years since the funeral.
By about eleven, the drizzle had cleared, and so next came the decision as to where to go. Sandwich won out as it would be less busy than Canterbury, but more to see than in Deal.
So, off we went.
A quick blast up the Sandwich Road, into the town and parked behind the Guildhall. First shock was that the stinky cheese shop, No Name Shop, is currently closed because of some fault with the shop. So that saved us at least thirty quid.
We walk on to St Peter's, to window shop in the indoor market. Lots of stuff to see in the old church, even some details, but we bought nothing, and walked on.
Along the alleyways to The Strand along to look at The Barbican, the old tollhouse next to the bridge into town. A walk along to snap The Fisher Gate, before doubling back to The Crispin for lunch.
A few weeks back, I was watching a TV cooking or food show, and the American host was touring UK and called into Sandwich to eat a sandwich in Sandwich. He ate at the Crispin where they serve the Earl of Sandwich sandwich: pulled brisket, mac and cheese, pickles, salad and fries.
Which I ordered. Jools and Jill had the vegetable tart, and to finish it off, I ordered a pint of Harvey's Best.
The pub is an ancient coaching in, all crooked timers, open fires and character you just can't fake.
The food came, and although the sandwich was too big to bite, was pretty good and the flavours did go well together.
Back outside and along The Strand to St Mary's, where there was an art show on. One picture took my fancy, but we didn't buy. The old church is looking good, I have to say.
So, at two, back tot he car and back to St Maggies via Deal where there were n parking spaces, so we drive on and go down to the Bay, where there are spaces, and the slate black sky was reflected in the near waveless Cannel waters lapping at the beach.
I listen to some football as Jools and Jill go for a walk, then back home for brews, and me to prepared dinner.
I had defrosted the hunk of côte de boeuf, oiled and seasoned it. So, oiled the potatoes, but then spuds in red hot duck fat, then sear the meat and cook for 35 minutes before boiling the vegetables.
Just after seven we sit down to eat, and mighty fine it was too. And not too much for once, which was more accident than by design.
We tidy up, make coffee and talk to half nine, but weary eyes, made worse by some Vin Santos meant we went to bed at half past, all ready to use the extra hour in bed the end of BST gifted us.
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Easily identified from afar by its unusual cupola built in the seventeenth century to complete the reconstruction of the tower following its total collapse. The base of the tower still displays some medieval stonework, whereas the top is seventeenth-century brick. The interior is tall and light with a heavily timbered crownpost roof. Among many items of interest the church contains three fine canopied wall monuments. One of them shows a husband and wife of mid-fourteenth-century date. Their heads are turned a little to the south to face the altar and they have a particularly animated lion at their feet. The church is now maintained by The Churches Conservation Trust who allow the nave to be used for a variety of alternative uses. The Trust also has charge of St Mary's church a little further down the road and visitors are welcomed at both.
www.kentchurches.info/church.asp?p=Sandwich+3
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THE town of Sandwich is situated on the north-east confines of this county, about two miles from the sea, and adjoining to the harbour of its own name, through which the river Stour flows northward into the sea at Pepperness. It is one of the principal cinque ports, the liberty of which extends over it, and it is within the jurisdiction of the justices of its own corporation.
Sandwich had in antient time several members appertaining to it, (fn. 1) called the antient members of the port of Sandwich; these were Fordwich, Reculver, Sarre, Stonar, and Deal; but in the later charters, the members mentioned are Fordwich incorporated, and the non-corporated members of Deal, Walmer, Ramsgate, Stonar, Sarre, all in this county, and Brightlingsea, in Sussex; but of late years, Deal, Walmer, and Stonar, have been taken from it; Deal, by having been in 1699 incorporated with the charter of a separate jurisdiction, in the bounds of which Walmer is included; and Stonar having been, by a late decision of the court of king's bench in 1773, adjudged to be within the jurisdiction of the county at large.
The first origin of this port was owing to the decay of that of Richborough, as will be further noticed hereafter. It was at first called Lundenwic, from its being the entrance to the port of London, for so it was, on the sea coast, and it retained this name until the supplanting of the Saxons by the Danes, when it acquired from its sandy situation a new name, being from thenceforward called Sandwic, in old Latin, Sabulovicum, that is, the sandy town, and in process of time, by the change of language, Sandwich.
Where this town now stands, is supposed, in the time of the Romans, and before the decay of the haven, or Portus Rutupinus, to have been covered with that water, which formed the bay of it, which was so large that it is said to have extended far beyond this place, on the one side almost to Ramsgate cliffs, and on the other near five miles in width, over the whole of that flat of land, on which Stonar and Sandwich too, were afterwards built, and extending from thence up to the æstuary, which then flowed up between the Isle of Thanet and the main land of this county.
During the time of the Saxons, the haven and port of Richborough, the most frequented of any in this part of Britain, began to decay, and swarve up, the sea by degrees entirely deserting it at this place, but still leaving sufficient to form a large and commodious one at Sandwich, which in process of time, became in like manner, the usual resort for shipping, and arose a Flourishing harbour in its stead; from which time the Saxon fleets, as well as those of the Danes, are said by the historians of those times, to sail for the port of Sandwich; and there to lie at different times, and no further mention is made of that of Richborough, which being thus destroyed, Sandwich became the port of general resort; which, as well as the building of this town, seems to have taken place, however, some while after the establishment of the Saxons in Britain, and the first time that is found of the name of Sandwich being mentioned and occurring as a port, is in the life of St. Wilfred, archbishop of York, written by Eddius Stephanus; in which it is said, he and his company, prosper in portum Sandwich, atque suaviter pervenerunt, happily and pleasantly arrived in the harbour of Sandwich, which happened about the year 665, or 666, some what more than 200 years after the arrival of the Saxons in Britain. During the time of the Danes insesting this kingdom, several of their principal transactions happened at this place, (fn. 2) and the port of it became so much frequented, that the author of queen Emma's life stiles it the most noted of all the English ports; Sandwich qui est omnium Anglorum portuum famosissimus.
FROM THE TIME of the origin of the town of Sandwich, the property of it was vested in the several kings who reigned over this country, and continued so till king Ethelred, in the year 979, gave it, as the lands of his inheritance, to Christ-church, in Canterbury, free from all secular service and fiscal tribute, except the repelling invasions, and the repairing of bridges and castles. (fn. 3) After which king Canute, having obtained the kingdom, finished the building of this town, and having all parts and places in the realm at his disposal, as coming to the possession of it by conquest, by his charter in the year 1023, gave, or rather restored the port of Sandwich, with the profits of the water of it, on both sides of the stream, for the support of that church, and the sustenance of the monks there.
Soon after this, the town of Sandwich increased greatly in size and inhabitants, and on account of the commodity and use of its haven, and the service done by the shipping belonging to it, was of such estimation, that it was made one of the principal cinque ports; and in king Edward the Confessor's days it contained three hundred and seven houses, and was an hundred within itself; and it continued increasing, as appears by the description of it, in the survey of Domesday, taken in the 15th year of the Conqueror's reign, anno 1080, in which it is thus entered, under the title of the lands of the archbishop:
Sandwice lies in its own proper hundred. This borough the archbishop holds, and it is of the clothing of the monks, and yields the like service to the king as Dover; and this the men of that borough testify, that before king Edward gave the same to the Holy Trinity, it paid to the king fisteen pounds. At the time of King Edward's death it was not put to ferme. When the archbishop received it, it paid forty pounds of ferme, and forty thousand herrings to the food of the monks. In the year in which this description was made, Sanuuic paid fifty pounds of ferme, & Herrings as above. In the time of king Edward the Confessor there were there three hundred and seven mansions tenanted, now there are seventy six more, that is together three hundred and eighty three.
And under the title of the bishop of Baieux's lands, as follows, under the description of the manor of Gollesberge:
In Estrei hundred, in Sandunic, the archbishop has thirty two houses, with plats of land belonging to this manor,(viz. Gollesberge) and they pay forty-two shil lings and eight pence, and Adeluuold has one yoke, which is worth ten shillings.
These houses, with all the liberties which the bishop of Baieux had in Sandwich, had been given by him to Christ-church, in Canterbury, and confirmed to it in the year 1075, by his brother the Conqueror. (fn. 4)
Afterwards king Henry II. granted to the monks the full enjoyment of all those liberties and customs in Sandwich, which they had in the time of king Henry his grandfather, that is, the port and toll, and all maritime customs in this port, on both sides of the water, that is, from Eadburgate unto Merksflete, and the small boat to ferry across it, and that no one should have any right there except them and their servants.
The town, by these continued privileges, and the advantages it derived from the great resort to the port, increased much in wealth and number of inhabitants; and notwithstanding, in the year 1217, anno 2 king Henry III. great part of the town was burnt by the French, yet the damage seems soon to have been recompenced by the savors bestowed on it by the several kings, in consideration of the services it had continually afforded, in the shipping of this port, to the nation. The first example of royal favor, being shewn by the last-mentioned king, was in his 11th year, who not only confirmed the customs before granted, but added the further grant of a market to this town and port, (fn. 5) and in his 13th year granted the custom of taking twopence for each cask of wine received into it.
After which, the prior and convent of Christ-church, in the 18th year of King Edward I. gave up in exchange for other lands elsewhere, to his queen Eleanor, all their rights, possessions, and privileges here, excepting their houses and keys, and a free passage in the
haven, in the small boat, called the vere boat, (fn. 6) and free liberty for themselves and their tenants to buy and sell toll free, which the king confirmed that year; and as a favor to the town, he placed the staple for wool in it for some time.
The exception above-mentioned, was afterwards found to be so very prejudicial, as well as inconvenient, that king Edward III. in his 38th year, gave them other lands in Essex, in exchange for all their rights, privileges, and possessions, in this town and port. After which king Richard II. in his first year, removed the staple for wool from Queenborough, where it had been for some time, hither.
During the whole of this period from the time of the conquest, this port continued the general rendezvous of the royal sleets, and was as constantly visted by the several monarchs, who frequently embarked and returned again hither from France; the consequence of which was, that the town became so flourishing, that it had increased to between eight and nine hundred houses inhabited, divided into three parishes; and there were of good and able mariners, belonging to the navy of it, above the number of 1500; so that when there was occasion at any time, the mayors of it, on the receipt of the king's letters, furnished, at the town's charges, to the seas, fifteen sail of armed ships of war, which were of such continued annoyance to the French, that they in return made it a constant object of their revenge. Accordingly, in the 16th year of king Henry VI. they landed here and plundered the greatest part of the inhabitants, as they did again in the 35th year of it; but but this not answering the whole of their purpose, Charles VIII. king of France, to destroy it entirely, sent hither four thousand men, who landing in the night, after a long and bloody conflict gained possession of the town, and having wasted it with fire and sword, slew the greatest part of the inhabitants; and to add to these misfortunes it was again ransacked by the earl of Warwick, in the same reign.
To preserve the town from such disasters in future, king Edward IV. new walled, ditched, and fortifield it with bulwarks, and gave besides, for the support of them, one hundred pounds yearly out of the customhouse here; which, together with the industry and efforts of the merchants, who frequented this haven, the goodness of which, in any storm or contrary wind, when they were in danger from the breakers, or the Goodwin Sands, afforded them a safe retreat; in a very short time restored it again to a flourishing state, infomuch, that before the end of that reign, the clear yearly receipt of the customs here to that king, amounted to above the sum of 16 or 17,000l. (fn. 7) and the town had ninety five ships belonging to it, and above fifteen hundred sailors.
But this sunshine of prosperity lasted no long time afterwards, for in king Henry VII.'s time, the river Stour, or as it was at this place antiently called, the Wantsume, continued to decay so fast, as to leave on each side at low water, a considerable quantity of salts, which induced cardinal archbishop Moreton, who had most part of the adjoining lands belonging to his bishopric, for his own private advantage, to inclose and wall them in, near and about Sarre; which example was followed from time to time, by several owners of the lands adjoining, by which means the water was deprived of its usual course, and the haven felt the loss of it by a hasty decay. Notwithstanding which, so late as the first year of king Richard III. ships failed up this haven as high as Richborough, for that year, as ap pears by the corporation books of Sandwich, the mayor ordered a Spanish ship, lying on the outside of Richborough, to be removed. (fn. 8)
"Leland, who wrote in the reign of Henry VIII. gives the following description of Sandwich, as it was in his time. "Sandwich, on the farther side of the ryver of Sture, is neatly welle walled, where the town stonddeth most in jeopardy of enemies. The residew of the town is diched and mudde waulled. There be yn the town iiii principal gates, iii paroche chyrches, of the which sum suppose that St. Maries was sumtyme a nunnery. Ther is a place of White Freres, and an hospistal withowt the town, fyrst ordened for maryners desesid and hurt. There is a place where monkes of Christ-church did resort, when they were lords of the towne. The caryke that was sonke in the haven, in pope Paulus tyme, did much hurt to the haven and gether a great bank. The grounde self from Sandwich to the heaven, and inward to the land, is caullid Sanded bay".
The sinking of this great ship of pope Paul IV. in the very mouth of the haven, by which the waters had not their free course as before, from the sand and mud gathering round about it, together with the innings of the lands on each side the stream, had such a fatal effect towards the decay of the haven, that in the time of king Edward VI. it was in a manner destroyed and lost, and the navy and mariners dwindled to almost nothing, and the houses then inhabited in this town did not exceed two hundred, the inhabitants of which were greatly impoverished; the yearly customs of the town, by reason of the insufficiency of the haven, were so desicient, that there was scarcely enough arising from it to satisfy the customer his fee. This occasioned two several commissions to be granted, one in the 2d year of that reign, and another in the 2d year of queen Eli zabeth, to examine the state of the haven, and make a return of it; in consequence of the first of which, a new cut was begun by one John Rogers, which, however, was soon left in an untinished state, though there are evident traces of what was done towards making this canal still remaining, on the grounds between the town and Sandowne castle; and in consequence of the second, other representations and reports were made, one of which was, that the intended cut would be useless, and of no good effect.
Whether these different reports where the occasion that no further progress was made towards this work, and the restoration of this haven, or the very great expence it was estimated at, and the great difficulty of raising so large a sum, being 10,000l which the queen at that time could no ways spare, but so it was, that nothing further was done in it.
¶The haven being thus abandoned by the queen, and becoming almost useless, excepting to vessels of the small burthen before mentioned, the town itself would before long have become impoverished and fallen wholly to decay, had it not been most singularly preserved, and raised again, in some measure, to great wealth and prosperity, occasioned by the persecution for religion in Brabant and Flanders, which communicated to all the Protestant parts of Europe, the paper, silk, woollen, and other valuable manufactures of Flanders and France, almost peculiar at that time to those countries, and till then, in vain attempted elsewhere; the manufacturers of them came in bodies up to London, and afterwards chose their situations, with great judgment, distributing themselves, with the queen's licence, through England, so as not to interfere too much with one another. The workers in sayes, baize, and flannel in particular, fixed themselves here, at Sandwich, at the mouth of a haven, by which they might have an easy communication with the metropolis, and other parts of this kingdom, and afforded them like wife an easy export to the continent. These manufacturers applied accordingly to the queen, for her protection and licence; for which purpose, in the third year of her reign, she caused letters patent to be passed, directed to the mayor, &c. to give liberty to such of them, as should be approved of by the archbishop, and bishop of London, to inhabit here for the purpose of exercising those manufactures, which had not been used before in England, or for shishing in the seas, not exceeding the number of twenty-five house holders, accounting to every household not above twelve persons, and there to exercise their trade, and have as many servants as were necessary for carrying them on, not exceeding the number above mentioned; these immediately repaired to Sandwich, to the number, men, women, and children, of four hundred and six persons; of which, eight only were masters in the trade. A body of gardeners likewife discovered the nature of the soil about Sandwich to be exceedingly favourable to the growth of all esculent plants, and fixed themselves here, to the great advantage of this town, by the increase of inhabitants, the employment of the poor, and the money which circulated; the landholders like wife had the great advantage of their rents being considerably increased, and the money paid by the town and neighbourhood for vegetables, instead of being sent from hence for the purchase of them, remained within the bounds of it. The vegetables grew here in great perfection, but much of them was conveyed at an easy expence, by water carriage, to London, and from thence dispersed over different parts of the kingdom.
These strangers, by their industry and prudent conduct, notwithstanding the obstructions they met with, from the jealousy of the native tradesmen, and the avarice of the corporation, very soon rose to a flourishing condition.
ST. PETER'S CHURCH stands nearly in the centre of the town; it consisted formerly of three isles, and in that state was next in size to St. Clement's which was the largest church in Sandwich. In 1641 it was certified to the lord keeper by the mayor, &c. that the steeple of St. Peter's church was in a very ruinous condition; that it was a principal sea mark, and that it was beyond the parishioners abilities to rebuild it; the estimate of the expence being 1500l. The steeple fell down on Sunday, Oct. 13, 1661, and demolished the south isle, which has never been rebuilt. There had been two sermons preached in it that day; it fell down about a quarter after eleven at night; had it fallen in the day time, the greatest part of the town and parish would probably have been killed and buried under the rubbish, but no one was hurt and few heard of it. The rubbish was three fathom deep in the middle of the church and the bells underneath it. This church, as well as the other two, seems to have been formerly constructed entirely, or at least cased externally, with the stone of Normandy, well squared, and neatly put together. The east end of the chancel is a good specimen of the old work, and there are detached portions of the same fort of masonry in other parts of the building.
The present structure, which is evidently the work of different times, is composed of fragments of the older fabric, mixed with Kentish rag and sand stone, and slints from the shore. The south isle is said to have been built by Sir John Grove, about the year 1447, and Sir Simon de Sandwich, warden of the cinque ports in Edward II.'s reign, both having given liberally towards the new building of the steeple. The present steeple is a square tower, built with the old materials to the height of the roof of the church, and from thence to the battlements with bricks of the haven mud. There are eight small, but musical bells, cast in 1779; they cost 430l. 12s. 6d. which expence was in great measure defrayed by the metal of the former six old bells; and a clock, which is the property of the corporation, who keep it in repair.
In this church there are the following monuments and inscriptions, among others too numerous to mention.—In the south isle, now in ruins, are the remains of a handsome tomb under an arch in the wall, in which was interred the body of Sir John Grove, who flourished in king Henry VI.'s reign, on which were his arms, now obliterated, viz.Three leaves in bend, on a canton, three crescents. There has been another arched monument in this wall, but all the ornamental parts are gone. In the north isle are several gravestones, with memorials for the Jenkinsons, for Jeffreys, and for the Olivers. On a large stone, coffin shaped, is a cross resting on a small dog or lion, and round the verge of the stone some mutilated gothic square characters cut in the stone, for Adam Stannar, priest. Part of another stone, with similar characters on it, lies in the same space a little to the westward. On a brass plate in black letter is an inscription for Thomas Gilbert, gent. searcher, of Kent, who married Katharine, daughter of Robert Fylmer, of East Sutton, in Kent, and had six sons and three daughters; arms, Gilbert, Gules, a saltier, or, on a chief, ermine, three piles, gules. He died in 1597. In this chancel a gravestone for Mr. Henry Furnese, obt. 1672; Anne his wife, obt. 1696. (They were the parents of Sir Henry Furnese, bart.) Mr. John Blanch, merchant, obt. 1718; Elizabeth his wife, daughter of the above Henry and Anne Furnese, obt. 1737. A memorial for Mary, first wife of Mr. John Solly, mercer, eldest sister of Sir Henry Furnese, bart, obt. 1685; and Mr. John Solly, obt. 1747. Within the altar rails are memorials for many of the family of Verrier of this town. On a marble monument against the north wall, an inscription for the Olivers. Opposite the above, a mural monument with an inscription for Henry Wife, esq. obt. 1769; Elizabeth his daughter, wife of Mr. Wm. Boys, obt. 1761; Mary his wife, obt. 1772; arms, Wife, sable, three chevronels, ermine. An oval tablet of marble for Elizabeth, wife of John Rolse, jun. gent. of New Romney, obt. 1780. A marble mural monument against the south wall, near the door of the nave, for the Jekens and Youngs. A marble tablet underneath for Susannah Wyborn, formerly wife of the above named Mr. Thomas Young, but late of Mr. William Wyborn, brewer, of this town, obt. 1755. On a marble tablet against the north wall of the nave, an inscription for the Jekens. The gallery at the west end of the north isle was built by subscription, and is secured to the subscribers by a faculty. There are stones in the church pointing out the licenced vaults of Brown; the Jeken family; Solly; and Ferrier; the Thurbarne family, a hatchment over it has three coats of arms, viz. Thurbarne, sable, a griffin passant, argent, with impalements. In the south east angle of the north isle is a vault, now belonging to the heirs of Mr. Solomon Ferrier, but built originally for the family of Mennes, whose atchievment, helm, and crest are suspended over the place. The arms are, Gules, a chevron, vaire, or, and azure, between three leopards faces of the second. In an escutcheon of pretence, quarterly, first and fourth, the royal arms of Scotland, debruised with a batton, sable; second and third, a ship with sails furled, within a double tressure, story, counterflory. In the wall of the north isle are three arches, under the eastermost, between the second and third windows, on an altar tomb are the mutilated figures of a man and woman lying at length in the dresses of the time, their heads supported by double pillows, a lion at his feet, a dog at hers; in the front of the tomb are narrow gothic arches. The tomb projects into the church-yard; the second arch is behind the pulpit; the tomb was exposed to view in digging a vault in 1770; its front is divided into six compart ments, in each of the four middle ones is a shield, the first of which has three wheat fans, a crescent in the centre; the second a fess fusilly, between three griffins beads; the third has three lions rampant, and the fourth is void; over this monument in stones in the wall, are two coats of arms, that on the right hand being fretty, a chief; and the other the ports arms, three demi lious, impaling three demi ships. Under the westermost arch, which does not penetrate through the wall, is an handsome altar tomb of Caen stone, in the front of which are six small shields; there were arms in all of them, but the bearing and colours are nearly effaced.
Dr. Harris says, in the north isle were buried Tho Ellis, esq. of Sandwich, and Margaret his wife; Sir Simon Sandwich, warden of the cinque ports temp. Edward II. who was a great benefactor to the building of the steeple of this church. The Sandwich MS. quoted by Mr. Boys, says, that the former of these lies buried here, under a most antient monument, and that John Ive, esq. a worshipful merchant likewise, and Maud his wife, lie buried under an arched sepulchre in the wall; and that here likewife were buried divers of the worshipful men of the Sandwich's knights. Through the wall that divides the chancel from the north isle has been an arched door, now closed up; and another in the opposite wall, from an inclosed chapel at the upper end of the south isle, between which and the small house appointed for the chaplains of Ellis's chantry, was a door of communication, which, as well as the arch, is still visible; but they are now shut up with masonry. This probably was the chapel, where these chantry priests performed divine offices.
There are inscriptions on boards of the benefactions to the parish by Sir Henry Furnese and Mr. Jarvis. The figure of Sir John Grove has lately been removed by Mr. Boys from the fallen isle, where it must soon have been destroyed, into the church beside the font, at which time his remains were searched for; an arched grave was found under the monument containing a coffin with the date 1664, so that probably the remains of Sir John Grove were removed from hence at the time that the isle was brought into its present ruinous state. The outward parts of the figure having been much injured by the weather and the trampling of boys, its position has been reversed, and the other parts brought to view, where the sculpture is remarkably sharp and elegant.
In 1564 it was ordered by the mayor, jurats, &c. that the church of St. Peter should be appropriated to the use of the Flemmings, on account of the plague; that they might be all at one place.
The church yard, which was much too small, has been considerably enlarged in 1776, and was consecrated by archbishop Moore, at his primary visitation on July 9, 1786
¶The church of St. Peter is a rectory, and was antiently of the alternate patronage of the abbot and convent of St. Augustine, and of the mayor, jurats, and commonalty; but this was not without continual dispute made by the former, of the latter's right to it. At length this controversy was finally settled in the year 1227, anno 11th Henry III. when they mutually acknowledged each others right in future to the alternate presentation to it. After which, the abbot and convent continued in the possession of their interest in the patronage of this church, till the dissolution of their monastery in the 30th year of king Henry VIII. when it came into the hands of the crown, where their alternate turn of presentation to this rectory has ever since continued, the king being at this time entitled to it. The other alternate right of presentation has continued in the mayor, jurats, and commonalty, to the present time.
It is valued in the king's books at eight pounds. In 1640 here were communicants 825, and it was valued at eighty pounds. It is now a discharged living, of about the clear yearly value of fifty pounds. It pays five shilling to the archdeacon for procurations, and 3s. 4d. to the archbishop at his ordinary visitations.
The revenues of this rectory arise from dues, collected in like manner as in the other parishes in this town, from the house in this parish, and from the tithe of land belonging to St. Bartholomew's hospital, called Cowleez, containing about ten acres.
In 1776, there were in this parish 228 houses, and 958 inhabitants.
The oldest register begins in 1538, and ends in 1615; the one in use begins from that period.
1760-9 with spire added in 1776-7 by Sir Robert Taylor, an eye-catcher for Sir William Blackstone's Castle Priory. Nave coffered ceiling vault looking east. Managed by the Churches Conservation Trust
Medieval glass from the 15th-century in the window behind the organ at Merton College chapel, Oxford.
Parish Church of St Peter, Leeds, 1837-41.
Leeds Minster.
Lady Chapel.
17th BATTALION WEST YORKS REGT.
TO COMMEMORATE THE FORMATION OF THE BATTALION OF THE LEEDS BANTAMS 8TH DECEMBER 1914 AND IN MEMORY OF THOSE WHO FELL AND OF THOSE WHO SERVED IN THE GREAT WAR 1914-1918.
St Peter's Church, Dunchurch, Warwickshire (27/52)
The parish church of St. Peter’s Dunchurch, Warwickshire, was extensively restored in 1908. It was rebuilt in the 14th century from an earlier church and the tower was added in the 15th century. Very little remains of the earlier church except for the 13th century south wall of the chancel, piscina, and the base of the arcade pillars.
Please have a look at my 'Project 52 2014' photo set www.flickr.com/photos/29663856@N03/sets/72157639407666594/
Please have a look at my previous project, 'Project 52 2013' photo set www.flickr.com/photos/29663856@N03/sets/72157632445195620/
The village of Farningham in Kent was a chance discovery on the way back from Lullingstone (see earlier) and Farningham's parish church of St Peter and St Paul is a little stunner. While lacking the old glass of Lullingstone, Farningham compensates with some fine Victorian and modern glass, an Elizabethan monument inside the church and an 18th century mausoleum in the churchyard.
www.flickr.com/photos/barryslemmings/sets/72157603719055169/ to see the full set.
The chancel is mid-13th century (Early English) while the nave is 13th to 14th century. The tower was probably added in the 15th century. Exterior alterations in the 19th century saw the flat-topped tower raised seven feet to incorporate battlements and a turret. The red brick external repairs had been carried out earlier, around 1790.
Internally the church has featured various galleries in the nave which have all now been removed. The gallery in the base of the church tower survived until 1900. The eight-sided font is 15th century with sides carved to represent Baptism, Holy Matrimony, Ordination, Extreme Unction, Holy Communion, Mass, Penance and Confirmation.
The Roper memorial on the north wall is dated 1597 and represents Antony Roper with his wife and some of his children. The sons are there but some of the daughters broke away and are now lost. The church also has some good brasses hidden under the carpets. One is dated 1451 and represents a former vicar. Some of the glass is by Charles Winston, later a noted authority on stained glass. His father was vicar of Farningham and one window may be an apprentice piece of Charles'.
In the churchyard there is a handsome mausoleum to Thomas Nash, merchant citizen of London and a Justice of the Peace for Kent and Surrey. He died in Paris in 1778 and is buried here.
Kolner Dom - Cologne Cathedral (St. Peter) - Nordrhein-Westphalen, 26 April 2018. The Catholic Cathedral was begun in 1248 as a place of worship for the Holy Roman Emperor and to house the reliquary of the Three Kings (Three Wise Men). Work was abandoned in 1473. It was restarted 1842 and completed in 1880 to the original plans in a Gothic style based on Amiens Cathedral, France, although the spires are pure Germanic. It was badly damaged in WWII but restored 1945-56. It is the largest church in Northern Europe. Pictured is a chapel alter.
St Peter's at Norbury doesn't look too promising on first sight, with it's plain Georgian-rebuilt red brick tower, but is actually one of Staffordshire's more interesting churches. The nave and chancel remain largely unaltered in their 14th century form with fine Decorated tracery (the east window is Victorian). The wooden roofs are old too, and that in the chancel is particularly special with it's braces terminating in small foliate carvings, an unusual touch.
The church is notable for it's monuments, with several badly damaged effigies (presumably Sir Edward Botiller d.1412 with his wife and mother) scattered about the chancel, but the finest monument is the cross-legged knight within a cusped recess on the north side, believed to be the benefactor of the church, Ralph Botiller (d.1342). The effigy has been recoloured, but the most eye-catching details are the heads and whimsical creatures carved into the cusping of the arch above him. There is also a fine brass to Lady Hawys Botiller (c1360) and a large Baroque monument on the south side.
The stained glass isn't of great consequence with four Victorian windows in the chancel, and tiny fragments of medieval glass in the traceries of the nave windows. But an interesting conundrum is the heraldic stained glass panel inserted in the enclosure screen at the west end, which I'd've missed had I not been alerted to it. I believe it's the work of John Betton of Shrewsbury c1810, but will go further in raising the possibility that it originates from the Lady Chapel of Lichfield Cathedral. Two heraldic windows by Betton existed there between 1808-90 before being replaced by the current Flemish windows from Antwerp (added to complement the Herckenrode glass). Some years ago I had access to the remains of these Betton windows and there were at least 25 panels of the exact same design as this one. The coat of arms and inscirption also reference a prebendary of the cathedral, so as it's clearly not in situ at Norbury, I'm assuming it was snapped up for this church when the rest was mothballed..........?
St Peter by Margaret Edith Aldrich Rope.
1949.
Not the best images but difficult to photograph and sadly the best I came up with. I was interested to get all the London Bells set.
The two stained glass artists named Margaret Rope were first cousins, granddaughters of George Rope of Grove Farm, Blaxhall, Suffolk (1814-1912) and his wife Anne (née Pope) (29/3/1821-1/10/1882). Neither married: both were baptised Anglicans but died Roman Catholics.
The younger Margaret was the 5th child of Arthur Mingay Rope (himself George and Anne's 5th child: 1850-1945) and Agnes Maud (née Aldrich: 1855-1943). She was born on 29th July 1891 and christened Margaret Edith at St Margaret's Church, Leiston, Suffolk on 25th August. She died in March 1988.
Born into a farming family at Leiston on the Suffolk coast, Margaret Edith Rope found herself among artistic relatives at Leiston and Blaxhall, Suffolk: her uncle, George Thomas Rope, landscape painter and Royal Academician; her aunt Ellen Mary, sculptor; sister Dorothy, also a sculptor. In the family, her nickname was "Tor", for tortoise. She was later to use a tortoise to sign some of her windows.
She was first educated by an aunt and later at Wimbledon High School, Chelsea School of Art and LCC Central School of Arts & Crafts (where she specialised in stained glass under Karl Parsons & Alfred J. Drury).
The chapel of St Peter's College, Oxford was formerly the church of St Peter le Bailey built by Basil Champneys in 1874 but later re-purposed for collegiate use following redundancy.
The interior is somewhat austere but is enlivened by a couple of remarkable modern windows by John Hayward and Ervin Bossanyi.
With the sun rising soon after six now, I suggested to Jools she might drop me off in Westcliffe on her way to the pool, and I walk back home.
Which is how I was outside St Peter just after six.
With the path beside the road on grass, we thought it might be better to walk it when frosty.
Well, the frost not so hard and deep as expected, there was a little mud, but after walking round the church and finding the grave of our neighbour and good friend, Bob, I set off along the road.
No buzzards on the poles, but a few flowers out, though the Alexanders were hunkered down due to the cold.
I made good progress and was back home by twenty to seven, enough time to make a brew and be ready for work at seven.
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A great surprise meets the visitor who is lucky enough to gain admittance here! The church is entered by walking up a hill, but you actually step down into the interior as the hill drops away steeply to the north, with the church set into its ridge. A Norman flint church of nave, chancel and later south tower, it is a haven of peace and light. Much of the latter floods in through the huge Decorated west window (its lancet predecessors may be seen in the wall outside). The church has a rare interior indeed – box pews run down north and south walls and there is a huge alley between, designed for the benches that still survive dotted about the building. Box pews were rented; the benches were for the non-paying poor. In pride of position is the pulpit. All this woodwork dates from the early nineteenth century, although the chancel was refurnished in the 1877s by the Church Commissioners and is standard fare. The lovely east window, the stonework of which is surely of the 1870s, contains some Georgian coloured glass edging – most delightful. Beautifully cared for and much loved, it is a shame that it is not more accessible to the casual visitor.
www.kentchurches.info/church.asp?p=Westcliffe
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WEST CLIFFE
IS so called from its situation westward of the adjoining parish of St. Margaret at Cliffe last described, and to distinguish it from that of Cliff at Hoo, near Rochester.
THIS PARISH lies very high on the hills, and much exposed; it is partly inclosed and partly open, arable and pasture downs; it extends to the high chalk cliffs on the sea shore, and the South Foreland on them, where the light-house stands. The high road from Dover to Deal leads through it. Its greatest extent is from north to south, in the middle of which stands the church, and village adjoining to it. As well as the adjoining parishes it is exceedingly dry and healthy, the soil is mostly chalk, notwithstanding which there is some good and fertile land in it. The height and continuance of the hills, and the depth and spacious width of the valleys, added to a wildness of nature, which is a leading feature throughout this part of the country, contribute altogether to its pleasantness; and the variety of propects, as well over the adjoining country, as the sea, and the coast of France beyond it, are very beautiful.
THE MANOR OF WEST CLIFFE, alias WALLETTSCOURT, was, in the time of the Conqueror, part of those possessions with which he enriched his halfbrother Odo, bishop of Baieux, and earl of Kent, under the general title of whose lands it is thus entered in the survey of Domesday, taken in the 15th year of that reign:
Hugo (de Montfort) holds of the bishop, Westclive. It was taxed at two sulings. The arable land is. . . . . In demesne is one carucate, and seventeen villeins, having two carucates. In the time of king Edward the Con sessor it was worth eight pounds, when he received it six pounds, now eight pounds. Of this manor Hugo de Montfort holds two mills of twenty-eight shilings. Edric held it of king Edward.
Four years afterwards the bishop was disgraced, and all his possessions were confiscated to the crown, upon which this manor was granted to Hamon de Crevequer, a man of much note at that time, who was succeeded in it by the eminent family of Criol, and they continued in the possession of it in the reign of king Henry III. in the 48th year of which, John de Criol, younger son of Bertram, died possessed of it, leaving Bertram his son and heir, and he alienated it to Sir Gilbert Peche. He soon afterwards conveyed it to king Edward I. and Eleanor his queen, for the use of the latter, who died possessed of it in the 19th year of that reign. How long it afterwards continued in the crown I have not found; but in the 20th year of king Edward III. Gawin Corder held it by knight's service of the honor of Perch, viz. of the constabularie of Dover castle.
Sir Gawin Corder possessed this manor only for life, for the next year the king granted the reversion of it to Reginald de Cobham for his services, especially in France, being the son of John de Cobham, of Cobham, by his second wife Joane, daughter of Hugh de Nevill. (fn. 1) His son Reginald was of Sterborough castle, whence all his descendants were called of that place.
Reginald de Cobham, his son, possessed this manor, whose eldest surviving son Sir Thomas Cobham died possessed of this manor held in capite, in the 11th year of king Edward IV. leaving an only daughter and sole heir Anne, who carried it in marriage to Sir Edward Borough, of Gainsborough, in Lincolnshire, (fn. 2) the lands of whose grandson Thomas, lord Burgh, were disgavelled by the act passed in the 31st year of king Henry VIII. His son William, lord Burgh, succeeded to it, holding it in capite, and in the 15th year of queen Elizabeth alienated it to Mr. Thomas Gibbon, who resided here; and it should be observed that though the coat of arms assigned to the Gibbons, of Westcliffe, by Sir William Segar, Sable, a lion rampant, guardant, or, between three escallops, argent—bears a strong resemblance to that assigned by him to the Gibbons, of Rolvenden, and is identically the same as those allowed to the Gibbons of Frid, in Bethersden, who were undoubtedly a branch of those of Rolvenden, yet I do not find any affinity between them; but I should rather suppose, these of Westcliffe were descended of the same branch as those of Castleacre abbey, in Norfolk; Matthew, the eldest son of Thomas Gibbon, the purchaser of this manor, rebuilt this seat in 1627, as the date still remaining on it shews. He resided in it, as did his several descendants afterwards down to Tho. Gibbon, gent. (fn. 3) who in 1660 sold it to Streynsham Master, esq. and he alienated it to admiral Matthew Aylmer, afterwards in 1718 created lord Aylmer, of the kingdom of Ireland, whose descendant Henry, lord Aylmer, devised it to his youngest son the Hon. and Rev. John Aylmer, and he alienated it to George Leith, esq. of Deal, who passed it away by sale to the two daughters and coheirs of Mr. Thomas Peck, surgeon, of Deal; they married two brothers, viz. James Methurst Pointer, and Ambrose Lyon Pointer, gentlemen, of London, and they are now, in right of their wives, jointly entitled to this manor.
BERE, or BYER-COURT, as it is sometimes written, situated in the southern part of this parish, was once accounted a manor, and was parcel of the demesnes of a family of the same name; one of whom, William de Bere, was bailiff of Dover in the 2d and 4th years of king Edward I. After this name was extinct here, this manor passed into the name of Brockman, and from thence into that of Toke, a family who seem before this to have been for some time resident in Westcliffe, (fn. 4) and bore for their arms, Parted per chevron, sable and argent, three griffins heads, erased and counterchanged. John Toke, a descendant of the purchaser of this manor in the fourth generation, lived here in the reigns of king Henry V. and VI. as did his eldest son Thomas Toke, esq. who by Joane, daughter of William Goldwell, esq. of Godington, in Great Chart, whose heir-general she at length was, had three sons, Ralph, who succeeded him in the family seat of Bere; Richard, who died s. p. and John, the youngest, who had the seat and estate of Godington, where his descendants remain at this time. Ralph Toke, esq. the eldest son above-mentioned, resided at Bere in king Henry VIII.'s time, in whose descendants this manor continued till the latter end of the last century, when Nicholas Tooke, or Tuck, as the name came then to be spelt, dying possessed of it, his heirs conveyed it afterwards by sale to the trustees of George Rooke, esq. of St. Laurence, who died possessed of this estate, which had long before this lost all the rights of having ever been a manor, in 1739, s. p. leaving it to his widow Mrs. Frances Rooke, (fn. 5) who alienated it to Thomas Barrett, esq. of Lee, who died in 1757, and his only son and heir Thomas Barrett, esq. of Lee, is the present owner of it. (fn. 6)
SOLTON is an estate in the northern part of this parish, which was once accounted a manor; it was part of the possessions of Odo, bishop of Baieux, under the general title of whose lands it is entered in the survey of Domesday, as follows:
Hugo (de Montfort) holds Soltone of the bishop. It was taxed at one suling. The arable land is . . . . . In demesne there is one carucate, and three villeins, with one borderer, paying four shillings and seven pence. In the time of king Edward the Consessor, it was worth fifteen ponnds, and afterwards and now thirty shillings. In this manor Godric dwelt, and holds twenty acres as his own fee simple.
Four years after the taking of the above survey, the bishop was disgraced, and all his possessions were confiscated to the crown.
Soon after which this manor was granted to Jeffry de Peverel, and together with other lands elsewhere, made up the barony of Peverel, as it was then called, being held of the king in capite by barony, for the defence of Dover castle, to which it owed ward and service. Of the heirs of Jeffery de Peverel, this manor was again held by the family of Cramaville, by knight's service, and it appears by the escheat rolls, that Henry de Cramaville held it in capite at his death, in the 54th year of king Henry III. by yearly rent and ward to the castle of Dover; after which, though part of this estate came into the possession of the Maison Dieu hospital, in Dover, yet the manor and mansion of Solton became the property of the family of Holand, who bore for their arms, Parted per fess, sable and argent, three fleurs de lis, counterchanged. Henry Holand died possessed of this part of it in the 35th year of king Edward I. holding it in capite, as of the honor of Peverel, and it continued in that name till Henry Holand dying anno 10 Richard II. his daughter and heir Jane became possessed of it; after which it passed into the name of Frakners, and then again into that of Laurence, from whom it was conveyed to Finet, and Robert Finet resided here in queen Elizabeth's reign, being descended from John Finet, of Sienne, in Italy, of an antient family of that name there, who came into England with cardinal Campejus, anno 10 Henry VIII. They bore for their arms, Argent, on a cross engrailed, gules, five fleurs de lis of the field. His son Sir John Finet, master of the ceremonies to king James and king Charles I. likewise resided here, and died in 1641. He left by Jane his wife, daughter of Henry, lord Wentworth, two daughters and coheirs, Lucia and Finette, who became entitled to this manor, which at length was afterwards alienated to Matson, whose descendant Henry Matson, about the year 1720, devised it by his will, with other estates, to the value of one hundred and fifty pounds per annum, to the trustees of Dover harbour, for the use, benefit, and repair of it for ever, but the discharging of the trust in Mr. Matson's will being attended with many difficulties, his affairs were put into the court of chancery, and a decree was made, that the commissioners of Dover harbour should have Diggs-place, Solton, Singledge, and other lands, to make up the one hundred and fifty pounds per annum, they paying forty pounds a year out of these estates to the poor relations of his family, as long as any such of the name should remain according to the devise in his will, and the trustees above-mentioned, are at this time entitled to the fee of it.
There are no parochial charities. The poor constantly maintained are about sixteen, casually six.
THIS PARISH is within the ECCLESIASTICAL JURISDICTION of the diocese of Canterbury, and deanry of Dover.
The church, which is dedicated to St. Peter, is small, consisting of only one isle and a chancel. In the chancel is a stone, about one foot square, (not the original one, I apprehend) to the memory of Matthew Gibbon the elder, son of Thomas Gibbon, who built Westcliffe house, and dying in 1629, was buried here. Service being performed in it only once a month, little care is taken of it. This church was given by queen Alianor, wife to king Edward I. together with one acre of land, and the advowson, with the chapels, tithes and appurtenances, to the prior and convent of Christ-church, in pure and perpetual alms, free from all secular service, among other premises, in exchange for the port of Sandwich, which was confirmed by king Edward I. After which, in 1327, anno 2 king Edward III. the parsonage of this church was appropriated to the almnery of the priory, for the sustaining of the chantry founded there by prior Henry de Estry. In which situation it remained till the dissolution of the priory, in the 31st year of king Henry VIII. when it was surrendered, among the other possessions of it; after which, this appropriation and the advowson of the vicarage were settled by the king in his 33d year, among other lands, on his new-erected dean and chapter of Canterbury, part of whose possessions they remain at this time.
On the sequestration of the possessions of deans and chapters, after the death of king Charles I. this parsonage was valued in 1650, by order of the state, when it appeared to consist of the parsonage-house, a large barn and yard, with the parsonage close, of three acres, and four acres lying in Westcliffe common field, together with the tithes of corn and grass, and all other small tithes within the parish, of the improved yearly value of sixty-two pounds. (fn. 7) The lessee repairs the chancel of the parsonage. Thomas Barrett, esq. of Lee, is the present lessee, on a beneficial lease.
The vicarage of Westcliffe is not valued in the king's books. In 1640 it was valued at ten pounds, communicants twenty. It is now of the clear yearly value of twenty-four pounds per annum, which is the augmented pension paid by the dean and chapter, the vicar not being entitled to any tithes whatever, nor even to the profits of the church-yard, all which are demised by the dean and chapter as part of the parsonage.
Maurice Callan, curate in 1466, was buried in this church, and by his will ordered his executors to pave the body of this church with paving tile.
Blandford Forum Church (St. Peter & St. Paul), 26 February 2018. Georgian church built in 1731-39 by John Bastard. Pictured is the beautiful roof of the chancel/sanctuary/aspidal.
St Peter's Cemetery (Petersfriedhof) in Salzburg. Mozart's sister Nannerl is buried here and the von Trapp family hid here when they were on the run after a concert for the Germans.
In the 1970s, when I used to stay at my Grandparent's house when my Mum and Dad went disco dancing, or whatever they called it before disco dancing was a thing, there was a TV series they used to watch called "How Green was my Valley". I remember little of it, except Granddad saying the valley was go green because of all the rain.
So, on Sunday, the rain was due to fall in the valleys, the hills and all else between.
What to do when we had come away without coats and umbrella?
Churchcrawling.
And thanks to the Church Conservation Trust, you ban fairly reply on those under their care to be open. I made a list of their churches in Shropshire, and after breakfast we set off for the first one, passing through the village of Knockin.
I kid ye not.
Where the village shop is called, of course, The Knockin Shop.
I also kid ye not.
Rain fell, roads were nearly flooded, so we splish-splashed our way across the county, down valley and up hills until we came to the entrance of an estate.
Here be a church.
Not sure if we could drive to it, I got out and walked, getting damp as the rain fell through the trees.
But the church was there, and open, if poorly lit inside. And I was able to get shots before walking up the hill to the car.
Two more churches tried, but they were locked and no keyholder about. So onto Wroxter, where a large and imposing church towered over the road. And to get there we passed through a former Roman settlement from which the modern town too its name. Most impressive was a reconstruction of a villa.
But we did not stop.
The church was open, light and airy even on a gloomy and wet day. I got loads of shots, especially of the fine tombs.
The final church was one not under the CCC, but one I had seen shots of online earlier in the week.
It took half an hour to drive to Diddlebury.
I kid ye not. Again.
And up the hill was the church, with a huge squat Saxon, or early Norman tower, and inside both the north and west walls were Saxon, with the north wall being made of dressed stone laid in a herringbone style.
It is an incredible survivor, and glad that I made the effort to come, as the church is amazing.
-------------------------------------------
St. Peter’s church, known by this dedication since at least 1322, is one of four churches in Shropshire with substantial Anglo-Saxon remains. The original building consisted of a nave with a west tower which was subsequently rebuilt in Norman times. The north wall, with its characteristic small double-splayed window and blocked door is the most visible surviving feature and dates from the eleventh century. The combination of dressed square ashlar masonry on the outside with herringbone work on the interior is most unusual, and has been the subject of much academic controversy.
Other Anglo-Saxon work includes some herringbone work in the North West corner, and fragments of sculpture, one of which predates the building by a century.
The chancel was added in the twelfth century, and some of the original windows survive. The tower was rebuilt in Norman times, and the later buttresses show that the structure had been unstable from an early date. The large blocked western arch is unusual, and its original purpose is unclear. The tower also features animal heads on the west face, and two sheila-na-gigs (obscene female figures) on the south side.
The south aisle originally dated from the fourteenth century, but was rebuilt in 1860. Inside the church, few furnishings survived Nicholson’s restoration in 1883, but the Royal Arms of William III on the west wall, painted in 1700, are worthy of note, as are the Jacobean corbels retained when the old ceiling was replaced in 1860.
Monuments in the church are mostly small mural tablets commemorating local gentry families of the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries. Note the two
fourteenth century tomb recesses in the chancel, one of which contains a later heraldic brass to Charles Baldwyn (1674), and also the small brass high on the north wall of the Vestry (formerly the Baldwyn family aisle of 1609). This commemorates Thomas Baldwyn (1614), who had earlier been imprisoned in the Tower of London for involvement with Mary Queen of Scots. There is good Victorian glass in the chancel.
www.diddleburychurch.com/history.html
-------------------------------------------
DIDDLEBURY
SO58NW Church of St Peter
1943-1/2/35
12/11/54
GV II*
Parish church. Saxon, restored C19. Dressed and rubble
sandstone; plain tile roofs. Nave, chancel, west tower, south
aisle and north transept.
EXTERIOR: long and short quoins to base of chancel; Decorated
east window; mid C19 south wall and porch; restored tower with
Norman superstructure over infilled Saxon arch; weather-vane.
Tall narrow north doorway, blocked C19, with semi-circular
arch on chamfered impost blocks.
INTERIOR: good herringbone masonry to north wall; fragments of
interlacing sculpture and piscina; 2 canopies with ballflower
ornament; font; tablets: Cornwall, d.1756; Powell, d.1769;
Fleming, d.1650; Bawdewyn, d.1674; Fleming, d.1761; some early
wood figure-head corbels to roof; funeral hatchments.
Listing NGR: SO5084385372
britishlistedbuildings.co.uk/101269882-church-of-st-peter...
The rubble of what once was St. Peter's Roman Catholic Church with the rectory across the street in the background.
GIMP was used (clone tool) to eliminate some power lines that crossed the front of the rectory.
A look around the market town of Bromyard in Herefordshire.
St Peter's Church Bromyard
Grade I listed building
Listing Text
BROMYARD
815/1/149 CHURCH OF ST PETER
25-OCT-1951
I
Church dating from the late C12, C13 and C14 with C19 and C20 additions and alterations.
MATERIALS: Sand-stone rubble with a slate roof.
PLAN: Formerly cruciform it now comprises; nave, early C14 chancel, north and south aisles and central embattled tower with circular staircase at the north-east corner.
EXTERIOR: There are three Norman doorways, two of which are re-set. That to the north aisle has a later tympanum and three shafts to each side. That on the south side has an altered original tympanum. Above it is set a stone with shallow-relief carving showing St Peter which may be Anglo-Saxon. The earliest fenestration is the Geometrical tracery in the north window of the north transept of pre-1300, the rest are all of C14 date with intersecting or Y-tracery. The west window dates from 1937 when the west door was blocked and the east window dates from 1933. There are two C14 tomb recesses set in the outer walls of the south aisle and transept.
INTERIOR: The nave arcades have different capitals; that to the south has scalloped capitals while those to the north have leaf forms. The north would seem to be later and is dated to c.1210 [Pevsner]. The roof pitch was altered c.1805 over the nave and aisles and ceilings with large-scale coving were inserted. At the same time the pillars of both nave arcades were heightened. The chancel was restored and re-ordered in 1877 by Thomas Nicholson and the panelled ceiling was inserted at that time together with the choir stalls and pulpit, all in a Perpendicular style. The font is C12 and has two tiers of decoration. The communion table is C16 with bulbous legs. There is a series of C14 tomb recesses to the nave and South transept. The organ dates from 1839 and was initially housed in a western gallery but moved to its present position to the north of the choir in the late C19. It has a wooden, battlemented case with cusped openings which reveal the pipes.
Sumary of Importance: This church is a major survival of C12 fabric, including three doorways, two especially fine, one with possibly pre-Conquest carving. There is a C14 crossing tower with circular stair turret, window tracery, tomb recesses and a Norman font. The building should be re-graded at I.
SO6554154844
This text is from the original listing, and may not necessarily reflect the current setting of the building.
In the 1970s, when I used to stay at my Grandparent's house when my Mum and Dad went disco dancing, or whatever they called it before disco dancing was a thing, there was a TV series they used to watch called "How Green was my Valley". I remember little of it, except Granddad saying the valley was go green because of all the rain.
So, on Sunday, the rain was due to fall in the valleys, the hills and all else between.
What to do when we had come away without coats and umbrella?
Churchcrawling.
And thanks to the Church Conservation Trust, you ban fairly reply on those under their care to be open. I made a list of their churches in Shropshire, and after breakfast we set off for the first one, passing through the village of Knockin.
I kid ye not.
Where the village shop is called, of course, The Knockin Shop.
I also kid ye not.
Rain fell, roads were nearly flooded, so we splish-splashed our way across the county, down valley and up hills until we came to the entrance of an estate.
Here be a church.
Not sure if we could drive to it, I got out and walked, getting damp as the rain fell through the trees.
But the church was there, and open, if poorly lit inside. And I was able to get shots before walking up the hill to the car.
Two more churches tried, but they were locked and no keyholder about. So onto Wroxter, where a large and imposing church towered over the road. And to get there we passed through a former Roman settlement from which the modern town too its name. Most impressive was a reconstruction of a villa.
But we did not stop.
The church was open, light and airy even on a gloomy and wet day. I got loads of shots, especially of the fine tombs.
The final church was one not under the CCC, but one I had seen shots of online earlier in the week.
It took half an hour to drive to Diddlebury.
I kid ye not. Again.
And up the hill was the church, with a huge squat Saxon, or early Norman tower, and inside both the north and west walls were Saxon, with the north wall being made of dressed stone laid in a herringbone style.
It is an incredible survivor, and glad that I made the effort to come, as the church is amazing.
-------------------------------------------
St. Peter’s church, known by this dedication since at least 1322, is one of four churches in Shropshire with substantial Anglo-Saxon remains. The original building consisted of a nave with a west tower which was subsequently rebuilt in Norman times. The north wall, with its characteristic small double-splayed window and blocked door is the most visible surviving feature and dates from the eleventh century. The combination of dressed square ashlar masonry on the outside with herringbone work on the interior is most unusual, and has been the subject of much academic controversy.
Other Anglo-Saxon work includes some herringbone work in the North West corner, and fragments of sculpture, one of which predates the building by a century.
The chancel was added in the twelfth century, and some of the original windows survive. The tower was rebuilt in Norman times, and the later buttresses show that the structure had been unstable from an early date. The large blocked western arch is unusual, and its original purpose is unclear. The tower also features animal heads on the west face, and two sheila-na-gigs (obscene female figures) on the south side.
The south aisle originally dated from the fourteenth century, but was rebuilt in 1860. Inside the church, few furnishings survived Nicholson’s restoration in 1883, but the Royal Arms of William III on the west wall, painted in 1700, are worthy of note, as are the Jacobean corbels retained when the old ceiling was replaced in 1860.
Monuments in the church are mostly small mural tablets commemorating local gentry families of the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries. Note the two
fourteenth century tomb recesses in the chancel, one of which contains a later heraldic brass to Charles Baldwyn (1674), and also the small brass high on the north wall of the Vestry (formerly the Baldwyn family aisle of 1609). This commemorates Thomas Baldwyn (1614), who had earlier been imprisoned in the Tower of London for involvement with Mary Queen of Scots. There is good Victorian glass in the chancel.
www.diddleburychurch.com/history.html
-------------------------------------------
DIDDLEBURY
SO58NW Church of St Peter
1943-1/2/35
12/11/54
GV II*
Parish church. Saxon, restored C19. Dressed and rubble
sandstone; plain tile roofs. Nave, chancel, west tower, south
aisle and north transept.
EXTERIOR: long and short quoins to base of chancel; Decorated
east window; mid C19 south wall and porch; restored tower with
Norman superstructure over infilled Saxon arch; weather-vane.
Tall narrow north doorway, blocked C19, with semi-circular
arch on chamfered impost blocks.
INTERIOR: good herringbone masonry to north wall; fragments of
interlacing sculpture and piscina; 2 canopies with ballflower
ornament; font; tablets: Cornwall, d.1756; Powell, d.1769;
Fleming, d.1650; Bawdewyn, d.1674; Fleming, d.1761; some early
wood figure-head corbels to roof; funeral hatchments.
Listing NGR: SO5084385372
britishlistedbuildings.co.uk/101269882-church-of-st-peter...
22 February is the Feast of the Chair of St Peter, which celebrates Peter's ministry as the visible sign of the Church's unity, centred on the Bishop of Rome, his Successor.
This Victorian glass, is from a window dedicated to St Peter in the south chancel aisle of Ely Cathedral. This window is one of my favourites in that cathedral.
Exeter Cathedral (St. Peter), 06/09/14. Unusually, it has two towers, one on each transept. The towers are Norman (c.1133) but the remainder of the cathedral is Decorated (1275-1400). The illustration shows the north elevation of the quire and the north tower.
he earliest reference to this church was in 1291 when it was referred to as “Ecclesia de Malros”. It is built in the form of a cross, with nave, two transepts and a chancel. Recently an architect wrote “This is a much more than usually attractive and interesting church, in spite of rather heavy internal Victorian restoration and the almost total absence of old fittings''.
As you enter the door, you will see to your right the Norman Font; the bowl is square with chamfered corners and the "cushion" style; the shaft and base are modern. Alongside this is the 19th century baptistery under a wooden covering; steps go down into the tiled pool designed for baptism by total immersion. This feature is unusual for an Anglican Church but not unique. You
will see one in St George's Cathedral Jerusalem as well as some other examples in Wales and England. It is a reminder to us that, although we usually baptise by sprinkling, Anglicans, can and sometimes do use total immersion. It was constructed in 1874, and according to H. H. Timmins (Nooks and Corners of Pembrokeshire') this was to meet the wishes of the Welsh Churchmen who "does not apparently consider the ceremony of baptism complete unless he can 'Goo threw the water". It reminds us too that a past vicar perhaps tried to encourage unity between those of different theological views.
It has taken some time to see inside of this church. Repeated attempts at either Open House or whenever up in the City, and always the same story, the doors are locked, or people entering walk right by you.
Last year I was in St Andrew Undercroft and explained how frustrated I was, and other in the GWUK group were, and was told, just ring up and access will be allowed.
I had to wait, until Christmas had passed, and so I asked among the group who were interested, and a few other like-minded souls joined my, and so this afternoon we gathered outside hopefully to be let in.
In the end, no worries, we were allowed in, and we spent a good hour inside photographing it.
St Peter now comes under the umbrella of St Helen's Bishopsgate, and so there is a mix of the traditional and modern. The church itself is used for private study, and a kitchen, apparently.
The fabric of the church is unaltered pretty much, with just the pews having been replaced with tables and chairs
-----------------------------------------------
St Peter upon Cornhill is an Anglican church on the corner of Cornhill and Gracechurch Street in the City of London of medieval origin. It was destroyed in the Great Fire of London in 1666 and rebuilt to the designs of Sir Christopher Wren. It is now a satellite church in the parish of St Helen's Bishopsgate and is used for staff training, bible studies and a youth club. The St Helen's church office controls access to St Peter's.[1]
The church was used by the Tank Regiment after the Second World War, subsumed under St Helen's Bishopsgate.
The church of St Peter upon Cornhill stands on the highest point of the City of London. A tradition grew up that the church was of very ancient origin and was the seat of an archbishop until coming of the Saxons in the 5th century, after which London was abandoned and Canterbury became the seat for the 6th-century Gregorian mission to the Kingdom of Kent.[2]
The London historian John Stow, writing at the end of the 16th century, reported "there remaineth in this church a table whereon is written, I know not by what authority, but of a late hand, that King Lucius founded the same church to be an archbishop's see metropolitan, and chief church of his kingdom, and that it so endured for four hundred years".[3] The "table" (tablet) seen by Stow was destroyed when the medieval church was burnt in the Great Fire,[4] but before this time a number of writers had recorded what it said. The text of the original tablet as printed by John Weever in 1631 began:
Be hit known to al men, that the yeerys of our Lord God an clxxix [AD 179]. Lucius the fyrst christen kyng of this lond, then callyd Brytayne, fowndyd the fyrst chyrch in London, that is to sey, the Chyrch of Sent Peter apon Cornhyl, and he fowndyd ther an Archbishoppys See, and made that Chirch the Metropolitant, and cheef Chirch of this kingdom...[5]
A replacement, in the form of an inscribed brass plate, was set up after the Great Fire[4] and still hangs in the church vestry today. The text of the brass plate has been printed several times, for example by George Godwin in 1839,[6] and an engraving of it was included in Robert Wilkinson's Londina Illustrata (1819–25).[7]
In 1444 a "horsemill" was given to St Peter's. The bells of St Peter are mentioned in 1552, when a bell foundry in Aldgate was asked to cast a new bell.
The church was badly damaged in the Great Fire of London in 1666. The parish tried to patch it up, but between 1677 and 1684 it was rebuilt to a design by Christopher Wren at a cost of £5,647.[citation needed] The new church was 10 feet (3.0 m) shorter than its predecessor, the eastern end of the site having been given up to widen Gracechurch Street.[8]
St Peter's was described by Ian Nairn as having "three personalities inextricably sewn into the City".[9] The eastern frontage to Gracechurch Street is a grand stone-faced composition, with five arched windows between Ionic pilasters above a high stylobate. The pilasters support an entablature; above that is a blank attic storey, then a gable with one arched window flanked by two round ones. The north and south sides are stuccoed and much simpler in style. Unusually, shallow 19th-century shops have survived towards Cornhill, squeezed between the church and the pavement. The tower is of brick, its leaded cupola topped with a small spire, which is in turn surmounted by a weather vane in the shape of St. Peter’s key.[6][10]
The interior is aisled, with square arcade piers[11] resting on the medieval pier foundations. The nave is barrel vaulted, while the aisles have transverse barrel vaults.[10] Unusually for a Wren church, there is a screen marking the division between nave and chancel. This was installed at the insistence of the rector at the time of rebuilding, William Beveridge.[12]
Charles Dickens mentions the churchyard in "Our Mutual Friend". A theatre group called The Players of St Peter were formed at the church in 1946 and performed there until 1987.[13] They are now based at St Clement Eastcheap where its members perform medieval mystery plays each November.
The church was designated a Grade I listed building on 4 January 1950.