St Peter's Church, Sudbury
St Peter's, Sudbury | ||
---|---|---|
Style Gothic | | |
Specifications | ||
Materials | Flint with some stone, tile and brick |
St Peter's Church, Sudbury is a former
A church has been on the site since at least 1180, but the current structure dates from the 15th century, though there have been several restorations in the intervening period.
History
The earliest documentary record of the church is in 1180, when it was a chapel of ease to St Gregory's Church.[4] The church was built in three stages, beginning with the first two bays of the chancel and the base of the tower in about 1330–48. The later stages of building were in about 1360, and in about 1425–50. In 1643, during the Civil War, the iconoclast William Dowsing damaged many of the items in the church. A restoration took place in 1685, which included some alterations to the nave roof.[3] A clock was installed in 1701, and during the first half of the 18th century a spire of metal and wood was added; this was replaced by another spire in 1810.[4] The church was restored again in 1858–59 by William Butterfield; this included removal of the three galleries and the box pews, re-laying the chancel floor, and replacement of the pulpit. Stained glass made by Hardman & Co. was installed in some of the windows, and more stained glass by Hardman was installed later in the century.[3]
In 1898 the chancel was restored and redecorated by
Architecture
Exterior
The church is constructed mainly in
Interior
The arcades are in six bays, the piers on the north arcade differing from those on the south. The roof is ceiled and divided into panels, with gilt bosses at the intersections. It is the only medieval nave roof in Suffolk to be ceiled and panelled in its original form.[3] Some of Bodley's painting remains on the chancel arch. In the south aisle is the octagonal 15th-century font. This was removed from the church in the 17th century to be used as a horse trough, but was returned to the church when the horses refused to drink from it.[3]
In the chancel the reredos designed by Bodley measures 20 feet (6.1 m) high by 7 feet (2.1 m) wide, and depicts the Crucifixion. On the sides of the chancel are 15th-century screens. In the Lady Chapel the font is carved with a depiction of the Nativity, and the reredos is a copy of Leonardo da Vinci's Last Supper. Over the north and south doors are paintings of Moses and Aaron. These were painted by Robert Cardinall, and formerly hung in a position flanking the reredos at the east end of the church.[3]
The lectern, pulpit and altar are Victorian, as is the stained glass.[4] The three-manual organ was built in 1911 by T. C. Lewis. It was renovated in 1942 by Henry Willis & Sons, and rebuilt in 1987 by Bishop. A major rebuild was carried out by J. W. Walker & Sons Ltd in 1999.[6] There is a ring of ten bells, the oldest three being cast in about 1470, and the most recent two in 1978.[7]
See also
References
- ^ Historic England, "Church of St Peter, Sudbury (1180665)", National Heritage List for England, retrieved 11 April 2015
- ^ a b St Peter's Church, Sudbury, Suffolk, Churches Conservation Trust, retrieved 9 December 2016
- ^ a b c d e f g h i j St. Peter's church, Sudbury History Society, retrieved 23 August 2022
- ^ a b c d e f g Hollinshead, Liz (2003), St Peter's Church, Sudbury, Suffolk: Information for Teachers, London: Churches Conservation Trust
- ^ Sudbury, St Gregory, Church of England, retrieved 5 March 2011
- National Pipe Organ Register, British Institute of Organ Studies, retrieved 2 July 2020
- ^ Sudbury, S Peter, Dove's Guide for Church Bell Ringers, retrieved 5 March 2011