St Peter's Church, Letwell facts for kids
Quick facts for kids St Peter's Church, Letwell |
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| 53°22′39″N 1°09′38″W / 53.3774°N 1.1605°W | |
| OS grid reference | SK 55947 87052 |
| Denomination | Church of England |
| Churchmanship | Broad Church |
| History | |
| Dedication | St. Peter |
| Administration | |
| Parish | Firbeck with Letwell and Woodsetts |
| Archdeaconry | Doncaster |
| Diocese | Sheffield |
| Province | York |
St Peter's Church in Letwell is a special church that belongs to the Church of England. It's a place where people in the village of Letwell go to worship.
Contents
About St Peter's Church
St Peter's Church is located at the west end of the village of Letwell. This village is close to Rotherham in South Yorkshire. The church was first built a very long time ago, around the year 1375. A person named John Mauleverer was responsible for building it.
Over the years, the church has been changed and rebuilt many times. A big part of it was rebuilt in 1820. This was paid for by Henry Gally Knight, who owned a large estate called Firbeck Hall. Sadly, much of the church was destroyed by a fire just a few decades later.
Today, the church still has its old tower from the 14th century. The main part of the church, called the nave, and the curved end, called the apse, were built during the Victorian era. This church is considered a very important historical building and is listed as Grade II*.
The Great Fire of 1867
The church's tower and a small room called the vestry are the only parts that survived a big fire in 1867. This fire started by accident! A person named Harry Radley, who was the church's sexton (a person who looks after the church), was trying to keep the parishioners warm. He put too much coal in the church's boiler, which caused the fire.
After the fire, the church was rebuilt and decorated. This was paid for by Sir Thomas White, 2nd Baronet. His father, also named Sir Thomas White, was a famous soldier. He had even created a group of soldiers called the Sherwood Rangers Yeomanry Cavalry twice, paying for it himself. Many of the beautiful decorations inside the church were added by Sir Thomas White's daughters.
A Special Organ
St Peter's Church is quite unique because it doesn't have a large pipe organ. Instead, it uses a harmonium. A harmonium is a type of keyboard instrument that makes sound using air pumped through reeds. This harmonium dates back to the 1800s. It was made by the Estey Organ Company in a place called Brattleboro, Vermont, in the United States.
The Churchyard
The area around the church, known as the churchyard, is very special for nature. It has been named a Grade III Botanical site. This means it's an important place for different kinds of plants.
Church Life Today
St Peter's Church is part of the Diocese of Sheffield. It is now connected with two other churches: St Martin's Church in Firbeck and St George's Church in Woodsetts. The church holds worship services every Sunday. They alternate between Matins (morning prayer) and Evensong (evening prayer).
See also
- Grade II* listed buildings in South Yorkshire
- Listed buildings in Letwell
