St Peter's Church, Harborne facts for kids
Quick facts for kids St. Peter's Church, Harborne |
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| 52°27′16″N 1°57′31″W / 52.454326°N 1.958538°W | |
| Denomination | Church of England |
| Churchmanship | Broad Church |
| History | |
| Dedication | St. Peter |
| Administration | |
| Parish | Harborne |
| Deanery | Edgbaston |
| Archdeaconry | Birmingham |
| Diocese | Birmingham |
| Province | Canterbury |
Saint Peter's Church is a very old parish church located in Harborne, a part of Birmingham, England. It has been an important place for the local community for many centuries. This church is a Grade II listed building, which means it's a special historic building that needs to be protected.
Contents
A Look at St. Peter's History
There has been a church on this spot since the time of the Anglo-Saxons, which was a very long time ago! Some people even believe that St Chad, an important saint, preached here. In the 1980s, workers found the base of an old preaching cross. This shows how long people have gathered here for worship.
The church building you see today is mostly from the Victorian era. It was built in the 1860s. An architect named Yeoville Thomason designed it. Interestingly, Elihu Burritt, an American who lived in Harborne, helped oversee the church's big update during this time.
The tower of the church is much older than the rest of the building. It is the only part left from the Middle Ages, probably from the 1300s. In 1974 and 1975, the area around the altar, called the sanctuary, had to be rebuilt after a fire.
Important People Buried Here
Many notable people are buried at St. Peter's Church. Their graves tell us a lot about the history of Harborne and beyond.
- Bob Brettle was a famous boxer.
- David Cox was a well-known artist who painted with watercolours. There is also a special window in the church that remembers him.
- Thomas Baker was another watercolour artist. He is buried right next to David Cox.
- Anne Chamberlain was the wife of Neville Chamberlain, who was a Prime Minister of the UK.
- Sir Charles Haughton Rafter was the Chief Constable of the Birmingham City Police for many years, from 1899 to 1935.
- George Edward Hunt was a jeweller.
The churchyard also has 40 war graves. These are the graves of service members from the Commonwealth who died in World War I (22 graves) and World War II (18 graves).
Leaders of the Church: Vicars
The vicar is the main priest in charge of the church. Here are some of the vicars who have served at St. Peter's:
- Rev Thomas Smith (starting 1858)
- The Ven. Ralph Creed Meredith (1919–1920)
- Canon Richardson
- Ven. Sidney Harvie-Clarke, who was also the Archdeacon of Birmingham
- Angus Greer McIntyre (1971)
- Michael Counsell (1976–1989)
- C.J. Evans (Fr.Jo) (1992–2008)
- C.S. Ralph (2010–2013)
- Graeme Richardson (2014 – September 2019)
- Rev Can Kate Stowe (2020 - Present)
The Church Bells
The bells at St. Peter's were bought from another church in Birmingham called Bishop Ryder. They were put in place by a company called John Taylor Bellfounders. The set of eight bells was officially dedicated on March 2, 1963. The largest bell, called the tenor bell, weighs almost 13 hundredweight (which is about 660 kg!).
The Church Organ
The organ you hear today was installed in 1975. It replaced an older organ that was destroyed in the fire. George Miles, who was the church organist at the time, helped design how the new organ would sound. You can find details about it on the National Pipe Organ Register.
Organists of St. Peter's
The organist is the person who plays the organ during church services. Here are some of the organists who have played at St. Peter's:
- Roland Mellor Winn (1874 - 1904)
- Franklyn Mountford (1904 - 1927)
- W.E. Robinson
- George Miles (1946 - 1988)
- Ian Ledsham (1993 - 2000)
- Victoria Gravenor (2001 - 2004)
- David Friel (2005 – 2023)
- Simon Palmer (2024 - Present)
