Church of St Peter, Shirwell facts for kids
The Church of St Peter is a very old church in the village of Shirwell in North Devon, England. It was built in the 13th century and is a special building because of its history and design. It's known as a Grade I listed building, which means it's very important and protected.
This church was the family church for the Chichester family, who lived nearby. A famous aviator and sailor named Sir Francis Chichester, who was born in Shirwell, is buried in the churchyard.
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A Look Back in Time: The Church's History
The area around Shirwell was once a very old Anglo-Saxon 'Hundred' (a type of old district). The church is part of one of the oldest church areas in the Exeter Diocese.
There are two very old yew trees in the churchyard, right opposite the south entrance. People used to think they were as old as the church itself, from the 13th century. However, a study found that these trees are actually about 1,500 years old! This means they were probably there even before the current church was built, perhaps when an even older church stood on the same spot.
What the Church Looks Like
The Church of St Peter is built from strong stone called shale rubble, with special cut stones for details. The windows are made from Hamhill stone, and the roof is slate.
Some parts of the church, like the top of the tower, the south aisle (a side section), and the porch, were added or changed in 1704. An old message above the south porch says, "This church was beautified in ye year of Our Lord 1704." The four pointy tops on the tower were added later, in the 1800s.
The tower, the arch leading to the main altar area (called the chancel), and parts of the chancel itself are from the 13th century. The rest of the chancel is from the 14th century.
The church used to have a beautiful wooden screen called a rood screen from around 1500, but it was taken out in 1847. The screen you see today was put in place in 1912.
The roof of the main part of the church, called the nave, is shaped like a wagon and has open wooden beams. It's mostly from the late 1800s, but it might have some older wood in it. The nave is separated from the south aisle by columns. This aisle was added between 1560 and 1590. The tops of the columns are decorated with carvings of leaves, shields, and faces. One column has the date 1620 on it, but no one knows why, as the column itself is older than that date.
The Ancient Font and Saint Cuthbert Mayne
The baptismal font (where babies are baptised) is even older than the church! It's from the late 12th century and is in the Norman style. It has a square bowl on a round base with supporting pillars.
A very important person, Saint Cuthbert Mayne (1544–1577), was baptised in this font. He was the first English Roman Catholic priest to be killed for his faith under Queen Elizabeth I. He was later recognised as a saint by the Pope.
Bells and Restoration
The south aisle and the top parts of the tower are from the 15th century. In 2005, the pews (church benches) were removed from the south aisle. This area now leads to the bell tower, which holds six bells. These bells were made and hung in 1733. They were taken down and retuned in 1986 by a famous bell company.
The church was greatly repaired and updated between 1873 and 1889 by an architect named William White. During these repairs, twenty old burial vaults were found underneath the church!
Inside the church, you can see a special basin called a piscina in the south wall, which was used for washing sacred vessels. The communion rails, ironwork, tiles, and the decorated screen behind the altar (called a reredos) are from 1912. The reredos has four carved figures: St Peter (holding keys), the Virgin Mary (with lilies), St Martin (with a sword), and St John (with a quill and an eagle).
In the north side section (called the transept), there's a rare wooden arch and a rough wooden pillar from the 15th century.
Monuments and Stained Glass
In the north wall of the chancel, there's an old stone statue (called an effigy) of a lady from the 15th century. It might be Blanche St. Leger, who died in 1483. This statue is in a space that seems too small for it, so it was probably moved here from another part of the church. Above this is a monument to Lady Anne Chichester, who died in 1723. Other monuments from the 1700s can also be found in the church.
The beautiful stained glass in the East window was put in in 1898. It was made by Charles Eamer Kempe and is dedicated to a former Rector of Shirwell, Revd. John James Chichester. Other windows in the church have clear glass in patterns, designed by William White.
There is also a special plaque here that remembers the famous aviator and sailor Sir Francis Chichester. He was born in the Rectory (the priest's house) in the village and is buried in the churchyard.
The Church of St Peter in Shirwell has been a Grade I listed building since 1965, meaning it's a very important historical building.
Gallery
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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
