St Peter's Church, Elford facts for kids
Quick facts for kids St Peter's Church, Elford |
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| 52°41′34″N 1°43′39″W / 52.692833°N 1.727412°W | |
| Location | Elford, Staffordshire |
| Country | England |
| Denomination | Anglican |
| Website | St Peter's Church |
| Architecture | |
| Functional status | Active |
| Heritage designation | Grade II* |
| Designated | 20 November 1986 |
| Architect(s) | Anthony Salvin & George Edmund Street |
| Architectural type | Church |
| Style | Gothic |
| Completed | 1870 |
| Administration | |
| Parish | Lichfield |
| Diocese | Lichfield |
| Province | Canterbury |
St Peter's Church, Elford is a historic church in the village of Elford, England. It sits on the eastern edge of the village, next to the River Tame. The church is a very important building, listed as Grade II*. This means it's protected because of its special history and architecture.
A church has stood on this spot since the time of the Normans, around the 12th century. However, most of the building you see today was built in the mid-1800s.
Contents
Church History
Early Buildings
The first church here was built by the Normans, likely in the 1100s. Parts of this old church survived for a long time. For example, a Norman arch was still there until 1848. A small Norman doorway was bricked up in the 1700s and replaced with a window.
By the late 1300s, the old Norman church needed repairs. Sir Thomas Arderne, who was the Lord of Elford at the time, led major changes and fixes.
About 100 years later, Sir John Stanley added a new section called the south aisle. He also built a special chapel, or chantry, dedicated to the Virgin Mary. Windows in this chapel show symbols like roses and crowns. These symbols connect the Stanley family to King Henry VII. It's said that Henry VII met secretly with Lord Stanley here before the Battle of Bosworth Field. He convinced Stanley to switch sides and join him against King Richard III.
In 1598, the old Norman tower was replaced with the tower you see today. It has battlements and four tall spires. You can even see the date on the outside of the tower. The church was saved during the English Civil War because the Rector, Thomas Dowley, protected it. Today, none of the original Norman church remains. The oldest parts are the east wall of the chancel from the 1300s and the west tower from the 1500s.
The Current Church
The church we see now was mainly designed by Anthony Salvin in 1848 and 1849. The south aisle and south chapel were rebuilt later by George Edmund Street in 1869 and 1870. The Rector, Francis Paget, wanted the church to look as much like Sir Thomas Arderne's 14th-century church as possible.
The church has beautiful Victorian decorations. The roof and walls were painted and gilded with gold. There are also colorful stained glass windows made by famous artists. Ornate brass rails guard the fancy sanctuary area. A long, tree-lined path, about 200 meters long, leads up to the church, making it look very impressive.
Interesting Features
Stained Glass Windows
One special window is at the west end of the south aisle. It has Flemish glass, which means it came from Flanders (modern-day Belgium). This glass is believed to be from the Herkenrode Abbey near Liège. It was brought to England in 1825, saving it from being destroyed during the French Revolution. The window shows a scene called 'The Presentation of the Virgin' in the Temple.
Church Floor
The main part of St Peter's Church, called the nave, has beautiful Minton Tiles. During the building work in 1848 and 1849, old medieval tiles were found under the floor. These old tiles had cool geometric patterns. Minton's then made new tiles for the church floor, copying the original designs.
The floor in the chancel has brass plaques that remember past Rectors of Elford. The ones there now are copies from the 1800s, as the originals disappeared. In the Chantry Chapel, you can find some very old stone slabs. These belonged to members of the Arderne family. The churchyard outside also has old tombstones with interesting messages.
Stone Figures (Effigies)
St Peter's Church is famous for its amazing stone figures, called effigies. Many people think they are some of the best in the country.
- Sir Thomas Arderne: The oldest figure is of Sir Thomas Arderne, who helped build the church in the 1300s. He died in 1391. His effigy is next to his wife, Matilda. It's rare to see them holding hands! The sides of their tomb have small angels and "weepers" (figures showing sadness). While the tombs look plain now, you can still see some of the original colors on the shields.
- Sir John Stanley: This figure shows Sir John Stanley, who founded the Chantry Chapel. He is wearing armor from his time. He died in 1474, and the date is carved on his tomb. His figure is plain white now, but it would have been very colorful. Near his head, you can see an eagle and a baby. This refers to a legend about his family. The story says his ancestor, Sir Thomas Latham, placed his baby son in an eagle's nest. His wife, who couldn't have children, found the baby and thought it was a miracle, adopting him as her own.
- Sir John Stanley's Grandson: The most famous figure is of Sir John's grandson, also named John. He is shown holding a tennis ball and pointing to his head. This is because he died in 1460 from being hit by a tennis ball! His figure is made of hard grit stone, different from the others which are made of alabaster. When this child died, the male line of the Elford Stanleys ended.
- Sir William Smythe: The last figure in the Chantry is of Sir William Smythe, who was Lord of Elford and died in 1525. He is shown with his two wives, Anne Staunton and Lady Isabella Neville. He became Lord of Elford through his first wife. His second wife was a cousin of King Richard III.
Other Monuments
Above the Staunton figure in the Chancel, there's a notable monument to William Brooke of Haselour, from 1641. He was the grandson of Lucy Huddleston of Elford.
High up in the Chantry Chapel, you can see shields of the Lords of the Manor. These go all the way back to Saxon times, starting with Wulfric, who was an Earl and founded Burton Abbey.
See also
- Grade II* listed buildings in Lichfield (district)
- Listed buildings in Elford
- Earl of Derby
- List of church restorations and alterations by Anthony Salvin
