Church of St Peter, St Albans facts for kids
Quick facts for kids St Peter's Church, St Albans |
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St Peter's Church, St Albans
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| Denomination | Church of England |
| Churchmanship | Broad Church |
| Website | www.stpeterschurch.uk.com |
| History | |
| Dedication | St. Peter |
| Administration | |
| Parish | St Albans |
| Diocese | St Albans |
| Province | Canterbury |
St Peter's Church is a Church of England parish church located in St Albans, England. You can find it at the northern end of the town centre.
Contents
A Look Back in Time
How St Peter's Church Started
Many people believe St Peter's Church was built in the year 948 AD. This idea comes from the writings of Matthew Paris, a famous historian. It is thought that Abbot Ulsinus of St Albans founded the church.
St Peter's, along with St Stephen's and St Michael's, was likely built around this time. Their main purpose was to welcome pilgrims. These pilgrims were people travelling to visit the special shrine of St Alban inside St Albans Abbey. The three churches are still active today and stand on the main roads leading into St Albans.
Changes Over the Years
In the mid-1100s, St Peter's was one of 15 churches that were special. They were not under the usual control of the Bishop of Lincoln, but instead were ruled by the Abbot of St Albans. This continued until 1539, when many monasteries were closed down.
After this, St Albans churches became part of the Diocese of London. A diocese is an area managed by a bishop. Later, in 1845, the area moved to the Diocese of Rochester. Finally, in 1877, the Diocese of St Albans was created. The old abbey church then became the new cathedral.
Building and Design
Early Days of the Church
The very first St Peter's Church, built by the Anglo-Saxons, would have been made of wood. Sadly, nothing from that time remains today. For almost 200 years after it was founded, we don't have many records about St Peter's.
By the 1200s, the church looked much like it did for many centuries. It was shaped like a cross, with a tower in the middle. Drawings from 1787 by Thomas Baskerfield show us what the church looked like back then.
Changes to the Structure
In the 1400s, parts of the church, like the main hall (nave) and side areas (aisles), were rebuilt. However, the old doorways from the 1200s were kept.
Later, in 1756, changes were made to the tower. The old arches were removed and taller ones put in. This was because the original bell tower floor was too low. But these changes made the whole building weaker. About 30 years later, the tower became unsafe. Even after attempts to fix it, the tower was so dangerous by 1799 that it had to be taken down. In 1801, the belfry floor even fell in!
A new brick tower was built, which is mostly what you see today. At the same time, the side parts of the cross shape (transepts) were removed, and the front part (chancel) was made much shorter.
Lord Grimthorpe's Big Restoration
In 1893, a man named Lord Grimthorpe decided to restore St Peter's Church. He had just finished working on the Cathedral and Abbey Church. He paid for all the work himself.
Lord Grimthorpe made the church longer by adding a section to the chancel and the nave. He also made it wider by taking down the north wall and building a new one further out. The front of the church now looks similar to a part of the abbey, with a round window and two small towers. He also made the roof steeper. You can still see where the old, flatter roof used to be on the wall inside. The angel-shaped supports (corbels) that held the old roof beams are still in their original spots.
St Peter's Church Today
Each Sunday, St Peter's Church holds several services. There is a traditional 8 am service, a 10 am Communion Service, and a 6:30 pm Evensong sung by a choir. The church has a large organ, which was put in during 2005–2006.
You might even recognise the church from TV! The second wedding of Ricky and Bianca in the popular BBC show EastEnders was filmed both inside and outside St Peter's.
From 2010 to 2015, Anne Hollinghurst was the vicar of St Peter's. She was the first woman to hold this role. Later, she became one of the first women to be a Church of England bishop, as the Bishop of Aston.
The current vicar is Rev Canon Mark Dearnley. Rev Liz Guest is also an Associate Priest, focusing on children and families.
See also
