St Peter's Church, Carmarthen facts for kids
Quick facts for kids St Peter's Church |
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Eglwys San Pedr
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St Peter's Church (2005)
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| Location | Carmarthen |
| Country | Wales |
| Denomination | Church in Wales |
| Previous denomination | Roman Catholic |
St Peter's Church (in Welsh, Eglwys San Pedr) is a very old church in Carmarthen, Wales. It belongs to the Church in Wales. Even though it was started a long time ago, the building you see today is from at least the 1300s.
It is the biggest church in the Diocese of St David's. It is also the oldest building still standing in Carmarthen. Because it is so important, it is a Grade I listed building.
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A Look Back in Time
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We don't know if an even older church stood here before the Normans arrived. But St Peter's is located inside the old Roman town of Moridinum. It was likely built after the Norman castle. Its spot was good for serving both the old Welsh town and the new town near the castle.
Records show that St Peter's Church was given to Battle Abbey between 1107 and 1124. The church building we see today probably started later. The main parts, called the nave and chancel, are from the 1200s or 1300s. Other parts, like the south aisle, might be from the late 1300s.
The church tower was rebuilt about a hundred years later. A porch was added at the same time. In the 1500s, the nave and chancel were made taller and mostly rebuilt.
Changes Over the Years
During the Tudor period in the 1500s, many monasteries were closed. St Peter's then became property of the King or Queen. Important court hearings for the Diocese of St David's took place here. For example, Bishop Robert Ferrar was tried in the church in 1555.
Later, in 1816, the church became linked to St David's College, Lampeter. Then, in the early 1900s, it came under the care of the Bishop of St David's.
Famous People Connected to the Church
One well-known person buried at St Peter's is Sir Richard Steele. He was a writer from the 1700s. He married a local woman, Mary Scurlock, and passed away in Carmarthen in 1729.
Until the 1800s, St Peter's was the only Anglican church in Carmarthen. This changed when St David's Church opened in the late 1830s. The church building had repairs and updates in the 1800s. The clock on the tower was added in 1903 or 1904.
In 1954, St Peter's Church was officially named a Grade I heritage building. This means it is very important and protected.
What the Church Looks Like
St Peter's is said to be the largest church in Wales. It also has the longest main hall (nave) in its diocese. The church walls are made of stone, and the roofs are slate. The tall tower at the west end is a famous landmark. It was painted white in 2001.
Inside the tower are eight bells. Four of these bells were made by Abraham Rudhall in 1722. The south porch was changed into a war memorial chapel in 1969. The main way to enter the church is through the door at the bottom of the tower.
The main part of the church has a long nave and chancel. These are separated from the south aisle by five arched sections. The inside of the church is about 52 meters (170 feet) long. The nave and south aisle together are about 15 meters (50 feet) wide.
The original wooden roofs were replaced in 1785 by John Nash. He was an architect who also worked on Buckingham Palace. But these roofs were replaced again in 1861 during more repairs. Many windows were replaced or changed in the 1840s and 1860s. The pretty floor tiles in the chancel are from 1866 or 1876.
Important Tombs and Memorials
The church holds many important tombs and memorials. One of these is the tomb of Rhys ap Thomas. He is famous for possibly striking the final blow to King Richard III.
The entrance to the churchyard on the northwest side has a special gate. It is a red sandstone lychgate with iron gates. A lychgate is a roofed gateway to a churchyard. This one was designed by Francis E. Jones and built in 1879. It was made to remember Reverend Latimer M. Jones, who was the vicar there from 1863 to 1877. This gate is also a Grade II listed building.
Keeping the Church Open
In 2014, the vicar, Reverend Leigh Richardson, shared that the church needed help. It cost about £50,000 a year to run. The church had also recently spent £20,000 to fix a large stained glass window that was damaged.
One idea to help the church was to have a display about the Black Book of Carmarthen. This could bring more visitors and money. In 2015, a concert was held to raise money. The money helped both the church and charities supported by the Welsh Guards.
A Legend of Merlin
In his book Historia Regum Britanniae, Geoffrey of Monmouth wrote a story about Merlin. He said that Merlin's mother used to live with nuns in the church of St Peter in Carmarthen.
