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 located in the village of Elford, Staffordshire, England. It sits on the eastern edge of the village, next to the River Tame. This church is a special building, listed as Grade II*, which means it's very important. While a church has been on this spot since the time of the Normans (around the 12th century), most of the building you see today was built in the mid-1800s.
Contents
History of St Peter's Church
Early Church Buildings
The very first church known to be on this site was built by the Normans, probably in the 1100s. A Norman arch from this old church was still visible until 1848. There was also a small Norman doorway that was later bricked up.
Around the late 1300s, the old Norman church started to fall apart. Sir Thomas Arderne, who was the Lord of Elford at the time, led big repair and change projects.
About a hundred years later, Sir John Stanley added a new part called the south aisle and a special chapel for the Blessed Virgin Mary. Look closely at a window in the south aisle, and you might see old roses and portcullises (gate symbols) with crowns. These symbols show a link between the Stanley family and King Henry VII. It's even said that Henry VII secretly met with Lord Stanley at Elford the night before the famous Battle of Bosworth Field. Henry VII convinced Lord Stanley to switch sides and join him against King Richard III.
In 1598, the old Norman tower was replaced with the tower we see today. It has a special top with four pointy parts called pinnacles. You can still see the date 1598 on the outside of the tower. During the English Civil War (a big conflict in England), the church was saved from being destroyed. This was thanks to the Rector (the church leader) at the time, Thomas Dowley.
Today, none of the original Norman church remains. The oldest parts of the current building are the east wall of the chancel, which is from the 1300s, and the west tower, which is from the 1500s.
The Church Today
The church building you see now was mostly designed by Anthony Salvin in 1848 and 1849. The south aisle and south chapel were rebuilt 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 after the repairs.
The church has beautiful Victorian decorations. The roof and walls were painted and gilded (decorated with gold). There is also colorful stained glass made by artists named Wailes, Ward & Hughes. Fancy brass rails protect the special area around the altar. A long, tree-lined path, about 200 meters long, leads up to the church, making it look very impressive.
Cool Features of the Church
Stained Glass Windows
The window at the west end of the south aisle, near the entrance, has special glass from Flanders (a region in Europe). It's believed to have come from a place called Herkenrode Abbey, similar to some glass in Lichfield Cathedral. This glass was saved from being destroyed during the French Revolution by being brought to England. The picture in the window shows the 'Presentation of the Virgin' in the Temple. This beautiful glass was put into St Peter's in 1825.
Amazing Floor Tiles
The main part of St Peter's Church, called the nave, has some very famous 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 company then made new tiles for the church floor that copied the old designs. They used brown and buff colors to recreate the look.
The floor in the Chancel (the area near the altar) has brass plaques that remember past Rectors of Elford. The ones there now are copies from the 1800s because the originals disappeared a long time ago. There are also some really old stone slabs belonging to members of the Arderne family in the Chantry Chapel. The churchyard outside has some old gravestones with interesting messages carved on them.
Stone Statues (Effigies)
The stone statues, called effigies, at St Peter's are considered some of the best in the country.
- Sir Thomas Arderne: This is the oldest statue. It shows Sir Thomas Arderne, who helped build the church in the 1300s, and his wife, Matilda. They died in 1391. It's special because Thomas and Matilda are holding hands. Look closely at the sides of their tomb, and you'll see small angels and figures called "weepers." While the tombs look plain now, you can still see some of the original colors on the shields.
- Sir John Stanley: This tomb shows Sir John Stanley, who started the Chantry Chapel. He is wearing armor from his time. He died in 1474, and the date is carved on the tomb. The statue is plain white now, but it would have been very colorful originally. Near his head, you can see an eagle and a baby. This refers to a legend about Sir John's family, the Latham family. The story says that one of his ancestors, Sir Thomas Latham, whose wife couldn't have children, wanted to adopt his son who was born outside of marriage. So, he placed the baby in a nearby eagle's nest. He then called his wife, who was thrilled by this "miracle" and adopted the child as her own.
- Sir John Stanley's Grandson: The most famous statue is of Sir John's grandson, also named John. He is shown holding a tennis ball, which is said to have caused his death in 1460. He is pointing to his temple. This statue is made of hard grit stone, unlike the others which are made of alabaster. When this child died, the male line of the Elford Stanleys ended.
- Sir William Smythe: The last statue in the Chantry is of Sir William Smythe, who was Lord of Elford and died in 1525. It also shows 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
Another important monument from after the Reformation (a big change in the church) is for William Brooke of Haselour. It's dated 1641 and is above the Staunton statue in the Chancel. 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, going all the way back to Saxon times. The first one is for Wulfric, who was an Earl of Mercia and started 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
