Church of St Peter and St Paul, Chaldon facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Church of St Peter and St Paul, |
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 Church of St Peter and St Paul,
Location in Surrey
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| 51°17′07″N 0°07′29″W / 51.285389°N 0.124684°W | |
| Country | England |
| Denomination | Anglican |
| History | |
| Founded | before 1086 AD |
| Administration | |
| Diocese | Diocese of Southwark |
The Church of Saints Peter and Paul in Chaldon, Surrey, is an old and important church. It is a Church of England parish church within the Diocese of Southwark. The church building was started even before the year 1086. It is so important that it is a Grade I listed building. This means it is considered a building of special historical interest.
This church is famous for a large wall painting, or mural. This painting was created around the year 1170. It shows scenes from the Last Judgement and ideas about purgatory.
Contents
Exploring the Church Building
The Church of Saints Peter and Paul is a small church. It has two main parts: the nave and the chancel. The nave is the main area where people sit. The chancel is the part near the altar.
On both the north and south sides of the nave, there are two-arch openings. These lead into side areas called aisles. The east end of the south aisle has a special room. This room is a chapel dedicated to St Catherine. The west end of the south aisle forms the bottom of the church tower. Next to it is the south porch, which is an entrance area. A small room called a vestry is attached to the west end of the north aisle.
How Old is the Church?
The very first parts of the church, like the east and west walls, probably date back to the 11th century. Most of the rest of the church was built in the 12th and 13th centuries.
There are a few newer parts. St Catherine's chapel was partly rebuilt in the early 14th century. It also got a new window around that time. The church tower was built much later, in 1843. There is a blocked-up arch at the end of the north aisle. This suggests there might have been another chapel on that side of the chancel a long time ago.
Changes to Windows and Features
The church's windows have been changed many times over the centuries.
- The windows in the north aisle are from 1330.
- The wide window in the chancel was added in 1460.
- The south aisle window is from the early 17th century.
Inside the chancel, there is an Easter Sepulchre. This is a special structure used during Easter services. It dates from the 14th century. The pulpit, where sermons are given, was built in 1657.
The Amazing Wall Painting
The large wall painting on the west wall of the nave is very special. It was hidden for many years and only found during repairs in 1870-1871. The background of the painting is red. The figures in the painting are a lighter red or pink.
Experts have called this mural "perhaps the most interesting ancient wall-painting in England." They also say it is "one of the most important English wall paintings" from its time. Another painting of a demon was found on the north aisle at the same time, but sadly, it was destroyed.
What the Painting Shows
This amazing painting tells a story using several different ideas. It shows:
- The Last Judgement: This is a religious idea about when souls are judged.
- The Harrowing of Hell: This is a story about Jesus going into hell.
- The Ladder of Salvation: This shows a path to heaven.
The painting is split into two parts by a cloudy line.
- The lower half shows demons and pictures of sin.
- The upper half shows the judgement and souls being saved.
In the middle of the painting, there is a ladder. At the very top of the ladder is Christ surrounded by a halo.
Details in the Painting
In the lower part of the painting, you can see:
- Two demons boiling sinners in a large pot.
- Two demons holding a saw with sinners balancing on it.
- The Tree of Knowledge with the Serpent wrapped around it.
Pictures of the Seven deadly sins are shown around these scenes.
The upper part of the painting shows:
- The Harrowing of Hell on the right side.
- The Archangel Michael weighing souls on the left side.
What Experts Say
Pevsner, a famous expert on buildings, said the subject of the painting is "rare." He called it a 'Purgatorial Ladder'. Another expert, Malden, thought it was similar to a style of art from the Greek Orthodox Church. He specifically linked it to a type of painting called 'The Ladder of the Salvation of the Soul and the Road to Heaven'.
See also
