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 church located in Harborne, Birmingham, England. It has been an important part of the community for many centuries.
Contents
A Look at St. Peter's History
There has been a church building on this spot since the time of the Anglo-Saxons. Some people even believe that St Chad, an important early Christian leader, preached here long ago. In the 1980s, workers found the base of an old preaching cross. This shows just how ancient the site is.
The area that the church served used to be much larger. It included parts of what are now Smethwick and Quinton.
The Church Building Today
The church building you see now was mostly built in the 1860s. It was designed by an architect named Yeoville Thomason. A famous American writer, Elihu Burritt, who lived in Harborne, helped oversee the building work.
The church's tower is much older than the rest of the building. It is believed to be from the 14th century, which means it's over 600 years old! The part of the church called the sanctuary had to be rebuilt in 1974 and 1975 after a fire.
St. Peter's Church is a Grade II listed building. This means it's recognized as an important historical building that needs to be protected.
Famous People Buried Here
Many people who were important in their time are buried at St. Peter's Church.
- Bob Brettle: A well-known boxer.
- David Cox: A famous artist who painted with watercolors. There is also a special window in the church that remembers him.
- Thomas Baker: Another watercolor artist, buried right next to David Cox.
- Anne Chamberlain: The wife of Neville Chamberlain, who was a Prime Minister of the United Kingdom.
- Sir Charles Haughton Rafter: He was the Chief Constable of the Birmingham City Police for many years, from 1899 to 1935.
- George Edward Hunt: A jeweller.
The churchyard also has 40 graves of soldiers who died serving their country. Twenty-two are from World War I and eighteen are from World War II. These graves are cared for by the Commonwealth War Graves Commission.
Leaders of the Church: Vicars
The vicar is the main priest who leads the church. Here are some of the vicars who have served St. Peter's:
- Rev Thomas Smith (started 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 Church were bought from another church in Birmingham called Bishop Ryder. They were put in place by a company called John Taylor & Co. The set of eight bells was officially dedicated on March 2, 1963. The largest bell, called the tenor bell, weighs almost 13 cwt, which is about 660 kilograms!
The Church Organ
The organ you hear in the church today was installed in 1975. It replaced an older organ that was destroyed in the fire. The design for the new organ was created by George Miles, who was the church's organist at the time. You can find all the details about this organ 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 people who have held this important role:
- 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)
