St Peter's Church, Streatham facts for kids
Quick facts for kids St Peter's Church, Streatham |
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| 51°25′55″N 0°06′53″W / 51.4319°N 0.1148°W | |
| Denomination | Church of England |
| Churchmanship | Anglo-Catholic |
| Website | https://stpeters-streatham.org/ |
| Architecture | |
| Architect(s) | Richard Drew & George Fellowes Prynne |
| Administration | |
| Deanery | Lambeth South Deanery |
| Archdeaconry | Lambeth |
| Diocese | Diocese of Southwark |
| Province | Canterbury |
St Peter's Church is a special old church in London, found in an area called Streatham. It's a really important building, listed as 'Grade II*', which means it's historically significant and protected. You can easily spot it on Leigham Court Road.
Contents
The Church's History
How the Parish Started
Before 1856, the area around St Peter's Church was mostly countryside. There were a few big houses, but it wasn't very busy. Then, new train stations opened, connecting Streatham to Victoria Station. This made more people want to live there. Lots of new homes were built, from large houses to smaller ones.
The area became known as St Peter's parish. A parish is like a local church district. In 1866, a temporary church made of iron, sometimes called a "tin tabernacle," was put up. It was named St Peter and St Paul.
Building the Church
The parish of St Peter was officially created in 1870. That same year, the first part of the current church building was finished. It was designed by an architect named Richard Drew. A special ceremony called a "consecration" was held by Samuel Wilberforce, who was the Bishop of Winchester.
Later, in 1886–87, the church got bigger. More money became available, and George Fellowes Prynne designed the additions.
How Many People Attended?
In 1886, about 2,889 people lived in St Peter's parish. About 39.9% of them attended church services. By 1901, the population grew to 4,780 people. The number of people attending services was about 19.5% of the population then.
More recently, in 2011, the population of St Peter's parish was estimated to be around 14,300 people.
About the Building
St Peter's Church is a 'Grade II*' listed building, which means it's very important historically. It stands out on Leigham Court Road because it's built on higher ground.
The church uses different colored bricks and clay tiles, giving it a unique look. It has turrets, different shaped windows, and a large round window on the front. The building looks interesting and a bit uneven, but in a good way!
Because of the way the land slopes, the church has rooms on the ground floor at the front. The main worship area is on the upper floor. You reach it by walking up steps or a ramp.
Wartime Damage and Changes
During World War II, the church was damaged. Some of its beautiful stained glass windows were broken. A part of the outside, a round turret, was also destroyed by a bomb.
In the late 1980s, the inside of the church was changed. The altar, which is a special table used in services, was moved to the west end of the building. This area used to be where baptisms took place. The east end of the church is now used as a smaller chapel.
Stained Glass Windows
Many of the original stained glass windows were lost during the war.
- On the north wall, only small pieces of stained glass remain. One piece remembers Georgina Tarbutt, the wife of the first Vicar (church leader). These pieces were made by a company called Ward and Hughes.
- Another window, possibly by Clayton and Bell, shows four angels.
- The large round window on the west wall shows the 12 disciples of Jesus. This window was repaired after the war by Lawrence Lee and again in 1994.
- The area that used to be for baptisms now has nine windows designed by Lawrence Lee. Three of them show symbols of baptism, and the other six show other important church ceremonies.
- On the south wall, there are fragments of a window that was put up in memory of Queen Victoria in 1901.
- One window in the Lady Chapel survived the bombing, but we don't know who designed it. There are also eight windows dedicated to the Virgin Mary above the altar.
- The big window above where the main altar used to be was put in place in 1955. It was also designed by Lawrence Lee.
Even though the windows were damaged, the church's large organ, made by William Hill & Sons, was not harmed.
The church has both a regular choir and a youth choir. They also offer a special scholarship each year for young people who want to sing in the choir.
War Memorial
Outside the church, there is a war memorial. It was put up in 1922 to remember those who died in wars. This memorial is also a 'Grade II' listed building, meaning it's important on its own. It was repaired and rededicated in 2018 by Christopher Chessun, the Bishop of Southwark.
Church Leaders (Vicars)
Here are some of the people who have led St Peter's Church over the years:
- Arthur Charles Tarbutt, 1870–1890
- Henry Baron Dickinson, 1890–1904
- Edward Jervis, 1904–1918
- Herbert Charles Frith, 1919–1927
- Richard Frederick Morson, 1927–1941
- Walter Gould, 1941–1949
- Charles David Smith, 1949–1968
- Michael Woodgate, 1969–1984
- Dr John Hall, 1984–1992 (He later became the Dean of Westminster)
- Andrew Walker, 1993–1998
- Peter Andrews, 1998–2019
- Steffan Mathias, since 2020
Music Directors
These are the people who have been in charge of the music at St Peter's Church:
- Dr Benjamin Agutter, 1866–1905
- Bernard Greek Stoneman, 1905–1929
- Stanley Ingham, 1929–1957
- Frederick Waterman, 1958–1962
- Michael Kerton, 1963–1979
- Stephen Lloyd, 1979–1984
- John Brierley, 1985–1987
- Michael Stoddart, 1987–1989
- Norman Harper, 1989–1995
- Simon Lewis, 1995–1996
- Mark Levett, 1996–1998
- David Abbott, 1998–1999
- David Cresswell, 2000–2008
- Philip Collin, 2008–2015
- Nick Graham, 2016–2018
- Will Mason, 2019
- James Furniss-Roe, 2021–
