St Peter's Church, Monkwearmouth facts for kids
Quick facts for kids St Peter's Church, Monkwearmouth, Sunderland |
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St Peter's church seen from west-southwest
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| Location | Monkwearmouth, Tyne and Wear |
| Country | England |
| Denomination | Church of England |
| Website | Parish of Monkwearmouth |
| History | |
| Status | parish church |
| Dedication | Saint Peter |
| Architecture | |
| Functional status | Active |
| Heritage designation | Grade I listed |
| Designated | 8 May 1950 |
| Style | Anglo-Saxon, Decorated Gothic, Gothic Revival |
| Years built | 7th, 10th, 14th & 19th centuries |
| Specifications | |
| Materials | rubble masonry |
| Administration | |
| Archdeaconry | Sunderland |
| Diocese | Diocese of Durham |
| Province | York |
St Peter's Church in Monkwearmouth is a very old and important church. It is located in Sunderland, Tyne and Wear, England. It is one of three churches in the area. The other two are All Saints' Church and St Andrew's Church.
St Peter's was first built around the year 674 AD. It was part of a special monastery called Monkwearmouth–Jarrow Abbey. This abbey had two main churches. The other church was St Paul's Church, Jarrow. St Peter's Church is now a Grade I listed building. This means it is a very important historical site.
The Church's Design and History
Early Anglo-Saxon Building
The first church on this spot was built a very long time ago. It was started by a person named Benedict Biscop in 674 or 675 AD. At that time, this area was part of the Anglo-Saxon Kingdom of Northumbria.
A famous monk named Bede (who lived from about 673 to 735 AD) wrote about the church. He said that Benedict brought skilled workers from Gaul (which is now France). These workers were stonemasons and glassmakers. Their skills were not common in England at that time.
Only a small part of Benedict's original church is still standing. This includes the west wall and the porch. The ground floor of the porch has a rounded, tunnel-like ceiling. This is called a barrel vault. The outer arch of the porch has fancy designs and stone carvings.
Around 700 AD, the porch was made bigger. A second floor was added, along with rooms on the north and south sides. By the end of the 900s, even more floors were added. This made the porch into the tall west tower we see today.
Later Gothic Styles
Most of the rest of the church was built much later. The north aisle (a side part of the church) was first built in the 1200s. In the 1300s, a large window with five sections was put into the east end of the chancel (the part of the church near the altar).
In the early 1800s, some parts of the church were changed. The arches of the north aisle and most of the chancel arch were taken out. Galleries (like balconies) were put in.
From 1875 to 1876, the church was fixed up and changed again. This was part of a big trend called the Victorian restoration. Architects named Hubert Austin and RJ Johnson led this work. They rebuilt the north aisle. They also replaced the large east window in the chancel. There is also a special room for the organ on the north side of the chancel.
The colorful stained glass windows you see now were made in 1969. They were created by an artist named LC Evetts. In 1973, an eight-sided room was added to the east of the organ room. This new part was made to help visitors learn about the church. In 1984, the church was damaged by a fire. Around 1985, the inside of the church and its roof were rebuilt.
