Church of St Peter, Shirwell facts for kids
The Church of St Peter is a very old church in the village of Shirwell, North Devon. It was built in the 1200s! This church is a special "Grade I listed building". This means it's super important for history. It's also where the famous sailor and aviator, Sir Francis Chichester, is buried. He was born right here in Shirwell.
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History of St Peter's Church
The area around Shirwell is very old. It was once an Anglo-Saxon 'Hundred'. This means it was an important local area long ago.
The churchyard has two amazing yew trees. People first thought they were from the 1200s. This would make them as old as the church itself. But a special study found they are actually about 1,500 years old! This means they were probably there even before this church was built. They might have stood next to an even older church.
Church Design and Features
The Church of St Peter is built from strong stone. It has a slate roof. In 1704, parts of the church were updated. This included the tower's top and the south porch. In the 1800s, four pointy decorations were added to the tower.
Some parts of the church are very old. The tower, the main arch, and parts of the chancel (the area near the altar) are from the 1200s. The rest of the chancel is from the 1300s.
The church used to have a beautiful wooden screen from the 1500s. It was removed in 1847. A new screen was put in place in 1912.
The roof of the nave (the main part of the church) is shaped like a wagon. It has open wooden beams. This roof is from the late 1800s. It might even use some older wood.
The nave is next to the South aisle (a side section). This aisle was added between 1560 and 1590. The tops of the columns in the aisle have cool carvings. You can see leaves, shields, and faces.
The Ancient Font
The baptismal font is very special. It's from the late 1100s! This means it's even older than the church building itself. It has a square bowl on a round base.
A famous person was baptised in this font. His name was Saint Cuthbert Mayne (1544–1577). He was an English priest. He was later made a saint by the Pope.
Bells and Restorations
The south aisle was cleared of pews in 2005. It leads to the bell tower. The church has six bells. They were made in 1733. In 1986, the bells were taken down and retuned.
The church had a big makeover between 1873 and 1889. This was a "Victorian restoration". Many of the windows were changed. A new vestry (a room for priests) was added. During this work, twenty burial vaults were found under the church!
The church has beautiful details. The communion rails, iron work, and tiles are from 1912. The reredos (a decorated screen behind the altar) also dates from 1912. It shows four carved figures. These are St Peter, the Virgin Mary, St Martin, and St John.
In the North transept (a part of the church that sticks out), there's a rare wooden arch from the 1400s.
Monuments and Stained Glass
Inside the church, you can see old monuments. There's a 15th-century stone figure of a lady. It might be Blanche St. Leger, who died in 1483. There are also other monuments from the 1700s.
The beautiful stained glass in the East window was put in in 1898. It was made by Charles Eamer Kempe. It remembers Revd. John James Chichester.
You can also find a special plaque here for Sir Francis Chichester. He was born in Shirwell and is buried in the churchyard.
The Church of St Peter in Shirwell has been a Grade I listed building since 1965. This means it's a very important historic building.
Images for kids
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The chancel arch
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The rare 15th-century wooden arch with timber pier (centre)
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Memorial to Francis Chichester in St Peter's church, Shirwell
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The grave of Francis Chichester in the churchyard of St Peter's
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St Peter's church from the churchyard
