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 special Church of England church found in St Albans, England. It stands at the northern edge of the town centre.
Contents
A Look Back: How St Peter's Began
People believe St Peter's Church was started way back in the year 948 AD. This idea comes from the writings of a monk named Matthew Paris. He wrote that Abbot Ulsinus of St Albans founded it.
While some details from Paris's writings are a bit unclear, it's widely accepted that St Peter's was built around that time. It was one of three churches, along with St Stephen's and St Michael's. These churches were built to welcome people who were travelling to visit the important shrine of St Alban at St Albans Abbey.
All three churches are still active places of Christian worship today. They are located on the three main roads leading into St Albans.
Church History: A Journey Through Time
In the mid-1100s, St Peter's was one of 15 churches that, like St Albans Abbey, were free from the control of the Bishop of Lincoln. Instead, the Abbot of St Albans was in charge until the time of the Dissolution of the Monasteries in 1539. This was when many monasteries and churches in England changed hands.
After 1539, the churches in St Albans became part of the Diocese of London. A diocese is like a church district. Later, in 1845, the area of Hertfordshire moved to the Diocese of Rochester. Then, in 1877, the Diocese of St Albans was created. The old abbey church became the new cathedral for this diocese.
Building St Peter's: Changes Over Centuries
The very first St Peter's Church, built by the Anglo-Saxons, would have been made of wood. Sadly, nothing from that original wooden church remains today. For almost 200 years after it was founded, there are no records of St Peter's.
Early Design and Changes
During the 1200s, the church took on a shape it kept for many centuries. It was a cross-shaped building with a tower in the middle. Drawings from 1787 by Thomas Baskerfield show us what the church looked like for a long time.
In the 1400s, parts of the church, like the main walkways and walls, were rebuilt. However, the old doorways from the 1200s on the west and south sides were kept.
Tower Troubles and Rebuilding
In 1756, some changes were made to the tower arches to make them taller. It seems the original bell tower floor was too low. But these changes made the whole building weaker. About 30 years later, the tower became unsafe.
In 1785, after some disagreements about expensive repairs, the tower was supported with timber. However, by 1799, the tower was so dangerous that it had to be taken down. In 1801, the belfry floor even fell in! A new tower was then built using bricks. This new tower is very similar in size and shape to what you see today. At the same time, other parts of the church were removed or shortened.
Lord Grimthorpe's Restoration
In 1893, after finishing work on the Cathedral, Lord Grimthorpe decided to restore St Peter's Church. He paid for it himself. He quickly decided what needed to be done to make the church safe and look good again.
Lord Grimthorpe made the church longer by adding one section to both the chancel (the area near the altar) and the nave (the main part where people sit). He also made the church wider by building a new north wall further out than the old one. The west end of the church now looks similar to a part of the Abbey, with a round rose window and turrets on the sides. Lord Grimthorpe also made the roof steeper. You can still see where the old, flatter roof used to be on the wall of the chancel arch. The angel-shaped supports that held the old roof beams are still in their original spots.
St Peter's Today
St Peter's Church is still a busy and active place of worship. Every Sunday, there is an early morning service, a 10 am Communion Service, and a 6:30 pm Evensong sung by a robed choir. The church has a large organ with three keyboards, which was put in place between 2005 and 2006.
You might have even seen St Peter's Church on TV! The second wedding of Ricky and Bianca in the popular BBC show EastEnders was filmed both inside and outside the church.
Anne Hollinghurst was the vicar of St Peter's from 2010 to 2015. She was the first woman to hold this position at the church. In 2015, she became one of the first women to be a Church of England bishop, when she was appointed the Bishop of Aston.
The current vicar of St Peter's Church is Rev Canon Mark Dearnley. Rev Liz Guest is also an Associate Priest, and she works especially with children and families.
See also
