St Peter's Church, Everleigh facts for kids
Quick facts for kids St Peter's Church |
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| Location | Everleigh, Wiltshire, England |
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Listed Building – Grade II*
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| Designated | 27 May 1964 |
| Reference no. | 1035994 |
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St Peter's Church is a special old church located in the village of Everleigh, in Wiltshire, England. It was built in 1813 by John Morlidge for F.D. Astley. This church is listed as a Grade II* listed building on the National Heritage List for England. This means it's a very important historical building. Today, it's a redundant church, which means it's no longer used for regular church services. Instead, it's cared for by the Churches Conservation Trust, a charity that saves historic churches.
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History of St Peter's Church
Everleigh had a church as early as 1228. At that time, it was given to the Benedictine monks of Wherwell Abbey in Hampshire. The abbey was in charge of choosing the priest for the church.
After the Dissolution of the Monasteries (when many monasteries were closed down), the right to choose the priest went to Thomas Wriothesley and his family.
The old medieval church was taken down in 1814. A new Church of England parish church was built in its place. This new church, dedicated to Saint Peter, was opened on a spot about 0.5 miles (0.8 km) north-west of the old one.
The current church was designed by an architect named John Morlidge. He designed it in a style called Georgian Gothic Revival. This style mixes classic Georgian looks with elements from older Gothic churches. It was built for Sir Francis Dugdale Astley.
What the Church Looks Like
St Peter's Church is built from Bath stone, a type of limestone. It has a main hall called a nave, with a porch on the south side. There's also a chancel, which is the area near the altar, with a small chapel next to it. At the west end, there's a tower.
The nave is about 41 feet 6 inches (12.65 meters) long and 26 feet (7.9 meters) wide. The chancel is 16 feet (4.9 meters) long and 14 feet (4.3 meters) wide. The tower holds six bells. These bells were made by James Wells of Aldbourne.
Inside the Church
Inside the church, you can find some interesting old features. The bowl of the font is from the original Norman church. It sits on a newer base and stand. The bowl is decorated with scallop shapes and inverted "V" patterns.
There are also many memorials inside the church. These are dedicated to members of the Astley family.
Above the west end of the nave, there is a large gallery. When the church was first built, this gallery held a barrel organ. A barrel organ is a type of mechanical organ. This organ was later replaced in 1879 by a new one located in the vestry.
Visiting St Peter's Church
St Peter's Church was officially declared no longer needed for regular services on April 18, 1974. It was then given to the Churches Conservation Trust on October 22, 1975.
The church is open for visitors every day. If you want to go inside, you can get the key from a local contact nearby.
See also
