St Peter's Church, Southrop facts for kids
Quick facts for kids St Peter's, Southrop |
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St Peter's Church from the north
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| OS grid reference | SP 20209 03420 |
| Location | Southrop, Gloucestershire |
| Country | England |
| Denomination | Anglican |
| History | |
| Status | Parish church |
| Architecture | |
| Functional status | Active |
| Heritage designation | Grade I |
| Administration | |
| Deanery | Fairford |
| Archdeaconry | Cheltenham |
| Diocese | Gloucester |
| Province | Canterbury |
St Peter's Church is an Anglican church located in Southrop. This is a small village in the beautiful Cotswolds area of Gloucestershire, England. It is an active parish church, meaning it is still used for services today.
The church is part of the Diocese of Gloucester. It has been given a special status as a Grade I listed building by English Heritage. This means it is a very important historical building. The church stands on the site of an even older building. Parts of the current church date back to the 12th century, which is over 800 years ago!
Contents
History of St Peter's Church
A church has stood on this spot since Anglo-Saxon times, long before the current building. The oldest parts of the church we see today were built in the 12th century.
From 1823 to 1825, a vicar named John Keble worked at St Peter's. During his time there, he made an interesting discovery. He found a circular baptismal font built in the Norman style hidden in the church wall. A font is a large basin used for baptisms.
Why is St Peter's Church Important?
St Peter's Church was officially named a Grade I listed building on January 16, 1961. This is the highest of three grades for historic buildings. It means the church is considered "of exceptional interest" and sometimes even "internationally important."
In 1982, David Verey wrote a book called Cotswold Churches. He described St Peter's as a "most precious" church. This shows how highly it is valued for its history and beauty.
The church is an active parish church. It belongs to the Diocese of Gloucester, which is part of the larger Province of Canterbury.
Famous Wedding at the Church
On July 2, 2011, famous model Kate Moss and guitarist Jamie Hince were married at St Peter's Church. This brought a lot of attention to the small village church.
Architecture of St Peter's
St Peter's Church is built from limestone rubble. It has a roof made of stone slates. You can see special patterns in the stone walls called herringbone work.
The church's layout includes a main area called the nave. It has a smaller section on the south side called a transept. There is a covered entrance, or porch, on the north side. The chancel, where the altar is, is at the east end.
Outside the Church
The main entrance on the north side is built in the Norman style. It is quite grand for a small church. The round arch of the porch has decorative moulding. The doorway has special columns called jamb shafts. These have decorative tops called capitals with spiral shapes called volutes. Above the doorway, there is a carved panel called a tympanum with a patterned design.
Both the north and south walls of the nave have windows from the 12th century. There are also newer windows from the 19th century. The nave also has a large window with three sections. This window is in the Perpendicular style and has beautiful stone patterns called tracery. The east window in the chancel has stained glass from 1852. It was designed by an artist named Thomas Willement.
Inside the Church
The arch that connects the nave to the chancel is also in the Norman style. It is simple, without extra decoration. In the south wall of the chancel, there are two piscinae. These are small basins used for washing sacred vessels.
The circular baptismal font that Rev. John Keble found is a special feature. It has eight arches and carved figures. These figures include the Virtues, shown stepping on the vices. There is also a figure of Moses. Inside the church, you can also find monuments. These include carved figures, called effigies, of Thomas and Elizabeth Conway. There are also memorials to the Keble family.
Churchyard and War Graves
The area around the church, called the churchyard, is also a historic place. It contains war graves for two soldiers. One soldier died in World War I and the other in World War II.
See also
- Grade I listed buildings in Gloucestershire
