Church of St Peter and St Mary, Stowmarket facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Church of St Peter and St Mary, Stowmarket |
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The church from Station Road West
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| Location | Stowmarket, Suffolk |
| Country | England |
| Denomination | Anglican |
| History | |
| Dedication | Saint Peter & Saint Mary |
| Architecture | |
| Functional status | Church of England parish church |
| Heritage designation | Grade I |
| Designated | 28 July 1950 |
| Architectural type | Church |
| Style | Decorated Gothic |
| Groundbreaking | 14th century |
| Specifications | |
| Bells | 8 |
The Church of St Peter and St Mary is a beautiful old church located in Stowmarket, Suffolk, England. It's an active Church of England parish church, meaning people still go there for services today. This church is very old, dating all the way back to the 14th century! It's also a Grade I listed building, which means it's considered a very important historic building that needs to be protected.
Contents
Discovering the Church's History
The Church of St Peter and St Mary began its story in the 14th century. It stands right in the middle of the old medieval town of Stowmarket. It has always been the main church for the local community.
Why Two Saints?
The church is named after both Saint Peter and Saint Mary. This happened in the late Middle Ages. At that time, two separate church areas, one for St Peter and one for St Mary, were joined together.
How Old is the Church?
Scientists used a method called tree-ring dating to study the wood in the church's spire. They found that the timbers were cut around 1362–1363. This tells us the main part of the church was built around this time. The church tower was added a bit later.
Changes Over Time
The church has been carefully repaired and updated many times. During the Victorian era, in the 1800s, it had three big restoration projects. The tall spire on top has also been replaced several times. The most recent replacement was in 1994.
Famous Connections
In the 1600s, a vicar named Thomas Young worked at this church. He was a teacher to the famous poet John Milton. Thomas Young is buried right here in the church. The church also has special memorials. These remember the people from Stowmarket who bravely served in the First World War and Second World War.
Today, the church is still a busy place. Regular services and events are held there for the community.
Exploring the Church's Architecture
The Church of St Peter and St Mary is built using local flint stones. It also has smooth, cut ashlar stone for details. The church's style is mostly Decorated Gothic. This is a beautiful style of architecture from the Middle Ages.
The Tower and Spire
The church tower has four levels. The top of the tower has a crenellated parapet, which looks like the top of a castle wall. The spire has a long history of being replaced. It was first built in medieval times. It was replaced in 1674, but then destroyed in the Great storm of 1703. A new one was built in 1712. Later, in 1975, it had to be removed because it wasn't stable. A new wooden spire was put up in 1993–1994. This new spire looks just like the older ones, even having an outside walkway.
Inside the Church
The inside of the church was greatly restored in the mid-1800s. This work was done by Richard Phipson, who was an architect for the Diocese of Norwich. If you visit, you might notice many memorials inside. These remember members of the Tyrrell family, who were important landowners in the area.
