Parish Church of St Peter

Cadw's description

Location

To N of the town centre.

History

The medieval church was rebuilt by Edward Haycock, architect of Shrewsbury in 1827 leaving only the C15 W tower with belfry of 1745; this he heightened with crenellated parapet and finials. Further alterations were made in 1864-6 based upon designs by J W Poundley and D Walker; this included a new east end. In 1894 considerable modifications were made, mainly to the interior, but also included giving the windows Gothic cusping; this work was largely paid for by the Marchioness of Londonderry.

Exterior

Rectangular 6-bay aisleless church with W tower. Coursed local rubble with plinth; slate roof with cresting and stone eaves course. 3-stage W tower has freestone quoins, cornice and crenellated parapet with pinnacles; slightly battered base. Round arched louvered bell stage openings; S side also has similar cambered opening and half glazed door; narrow ogee Baptistery windows to base. 3-light cusped windows with square heads to N and S sides, all have deep Tudor style labels; 2-light Decorated window to W end of N and S sides. The 3rd and 5th bays to both sides have rubble parapets with gable/pediment treatment, high kneelers and niche like finials with blind lancet openings. Similar treatment to both the porch and the balancing 2-storey projection to N. The porch has crocketed finial and blind square window over simple label to the high entrance; pointed segmental arch with imitation timber portcullis. The E end has crenellated gable parapet and 5-light geometrical window (the outline of a broader earlier opening is visible); attic roundel above.

Interior

The rendered interior has simple Gothic detail. The ceiling is a greatly simplified form of a ship's keel roof, here boarded and panelled and with stencilled script to the coved edges - more elaborate in the chancel; this dates from l894. Tripartite division between nave and chancel with high central arch and stilted flanking arches into Lady Chapel and organ chamber/vestry (panelled infill to the latter). On N side of the nave, opposite the main door, there is a rib vaulted chamber with tripartite Tudor arched screen and balcony with Gothic balustrade; this contained the Londonderry family pews until the 1894 restoration. At the W end there are steps down to the Baptistery; deep window recesses with chamfered outer and inner arches. Cl5 octagonal font with traceried panels. Gothic pulpit, choir stalls etc; further stencilling to organ case. Lady Chapel has Gothic stone monument to Sir John Edwards (died l850) by S Manning sculptor of London. Many stained glass windows, some by Clayton and Bell and Ward and Hughes of London; the best are those in the Lady Chapel, l883 and l886 and to N side at E end of nave.