St Peter's Church, Old Woking facts for kids
Quick facts for kids St Peter's Church |
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| St Peter's | |
St Peter's Church, Old Woking
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 St Peter's Church
Location in Surrey
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| 51°18′06″N 0°32′14″W / 51.30167°N 0.53722°W | |
| OS grid reference | TQ 02084 56845 |
| Location | Woking |
| Country | England |
| Denomination | Church of England |
| Website | St Peter's website |
| History | |
| Founded | 7th-century (first church) |
| Architecture | |
| Functional status | Active |
| Architectural type | Norman, English Gothic |
| Administration | |
| Parish | St Peter Woking |
| Diocese | Guildford |
| Province | Canterbury |
St Peter's Church is a very old church located in Old Woking, Surrey, England. It is famous for being mentioned in the Domesday Book, which was a big survey of England made almost 1,000 years ago. This church also has the oldest door in Surrey and one of the oldest doors in the entire British Isles!
Contents
A Look Back: History of St Peter's
St Peter's Church is a special building. It is listed as a Grade I building, which means it is very important historically. Long ago, it was the main church for Woking. When a new town grew up around the railway station, the old village became known as Old Woking. The Domesday Book from 1086 mentions a church in "Wochinges," which was an old name for Woking. Records show that a church dedicated to St Peter was first built here around the year 675.
Building St Peter's: How it Changed Over Time
The first church here was a wooden one built by the Anglo-Saxons in the 7th century. Later, around the time of William I of England, a new church was built using Norman architecture. This Norman church was a simple rectangular building, about 50 feet long. Today, only parts of the north and west walls of this original Norman church remain.
The Church Tower
The tower of St Peter's Church is at the west end of the main part of the church. The bottom part of the tower was built between 1200 and 1220. It is made from flint and a unique type of rock called puddingstone. The top part of the tower was finished much later, around 1340.
The Amazing Old Door
One of the most exciting parts of St Peter's Church is its west door. This door is from the original Norman church! It used to be at the very front of the church. Now, it opens into a small entrance area at the base of the tower. This door is the oldest in Surrey. Experts have used a method called dendrochronology (tree-ring dating) to figure out its age. They found it was made during the time of Henry I of England.
The four oak planks that make up the door likely came from a single tree. This tree was over 270 years old when it was cut down! A researcher named Jane Geddes from the University of Aberdeen has studied the door. She says it is one of only five "picture doors" in the country. The metal designs on the door are also very old, from the medieval period.
The Zouche Gallery
Inside the church, at the west end, there is a special balcony area called the Zouche Gallery. This gallery was built in 1622. It was paid for by a person named Sir Edward Zouch during the reign of James I of England.
Visiting St Peter's Church
St Peter's Church often has open days on Saturdays during the warmer months. On these days, you can take a tour and learn more about its long history. It used to be possible to go to the very top of the tower, and sometimes it still is on special days.
See also
