St Peter's Church, Ardingly facts for kids
Quick facts for kids St Peter's Church |
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The church viewed from the south
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| 51°03′08″N 0°05′24″W / 51.0521°N 0.0899°W | |
| Location | Street Lane, Ardingly, West Sussex RH17 6UN |
| Country | England |
| Denomination | Church of England |
| Churchmanship | Open Evangelical |
| Website | www.ardinglychurch.org.uk |
| History | |
| Status | Parish church |
| Founded | 11th century |
| Founder(s) | Possibly William de Warenne |
| Dedication | Saint Peter |
| Architecture | |
| Functional status | Active |
| Heritage designation | Grade I listed |
| Designated | 28 October 1957 |
| Style | Decorated Gothic |
| Administration | |
| Parish | Ardingly, St Peter |
| Deanery | Rural Deanery of Cuckfield |
| Archdeaconry | Horsham |
| Diocese | Chichester |
| Province | Canterbury |
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St Peter's Church is a historic Church of England church located in Ardingly, a village in West Sussex, England. This beautiful stone church was mostly built in the 14th century. It was later updated during the Victorian era (the 1800s). People have worshipped on this spot for a very long time, even before the current building was constructed. St Peter's Church is considered a very important building and is listed as a Grade I historic site.
Contents
A Look Back: Church History
Early Days in Ardingly
The village of Ardingly started as a clearing in a forest during the Saxon times. This clearing was on high ground near the River Ouse. Around the 11th century, after the Normans arrived, a church was built here. It's thought that William de Warenne, 1st Earl of Surrey might have founded this first church. His son later gave control of the church to Lewes Priory, a type of monastery, around the year 1100.
Building the 14th-Century Church
Not much is known about the first Norman church. But by the mid-1300s, Ardingly was doing well because of its wool trade. This new wealth allowed the villagers to build a new, larger church on the same spot. This church was built between about 1330 and 1350. It was designed in the popular Decorated Gothic style, which has lots of fancy carvings and detailed windows. Most of the old 11th-century church was replaced. The lower part of the church tower and a tomb inside, which has a stone figure of a priest, also date from this time.
The Strong Stone Tower
The tall, strong stone tower was added in the early 1400s. It's unusual because it doesn't have a pointy top (a spire), which many churches do. Some people think it might have been used to defend against possible French invaders. Or maybe it was a place to light a fire-beacon to warn people if an invasion was coming! The tower is about 50 feet (15 meters) tall and has very thick walls, about 4 feet (1.2 meters) wide. Inside, there's a unique oak staircase made from large pieces of wood.
Changes During the Reformation
In the 1530s, a big change happened in England called the English Reformation. King Henry VIII took control of all the property owned by monasteries and priories, including St Peter's Church. The church was then passed to his chief minister, Thomas Cromwell. After Cromwell's death, the church eventually came under the care of private families. Many of these families were connected to the nearby Wakehurst Place estate.
Updates in the 1700s and 1800s
By 1724, St Peter's Church needed repairs, which were done soon after. New bells were added to the tower in 1719 and 1766. Around this time, the Lydell family, who owned Wakehurst Place, built a special burial area in the church.
During the Victorian era (the 1800s), many old churches were updated. St Peter's Church had two main periods of change: in 1853 and again in 1887. Old wooden benches were replaced, and the church got its first proper organ. In 1887, the church was closed for about a year for major work. Architects Benjamin Ingelow and Richard Herbert Carpenter added a new room for the clergy (a vestry) and another section with more seats. These changes made the church bigger, able to hold about 280 people.
During this work, a stone piece from the 12th century was found. It's now on display and is the only part that definitely remains from the original Norman church.
20th Century Additions
In the 1900s, more additions were made. A beautiful stained glass window was installed in 1900. Other stained glass was made by a local company. A new gate (lychgate), altar, and decorative screen behind the altar (reredos) were added in 1913. These were all gifts to the church to remember people. The church also got new organs in 1939 and 1972.
The church has a large churchyard for burials. When it became full, land across the road was given to extend it in 1944. This meant that old gravestones didn't have to be moved. Because of this, many old and unusual gravestones still exist, including the one with the skeleton and woman, which you can see in the picture.
Church Design and Features
St Peter's Church is built of stone in the Decorated Gothic style. The main parts of the church are the square tower, the nave (where the congregation sits), the chancel (the area near the altar), and the altar itself. There's an aisle on the north side and a vestry next to the chancel. On the south side, there's another aisle and a wooden entrance porch from the 1400s. The roof is covered with special stone tiles from the local area.
Inside the Church
The chancel has windows with fancy, three-leaf shapes. There's also a detailed door for the priest. You can see a special basin (piscina) and a cupboard (aumbry) in the chancel walls, both from when the church was first built. The roof inside has strong wooden beams. Some of the original stained glass from the Middle Ages can still be seen in the chancel windows.
The nave, where people sit, has a roof built higher than the chancel's. This roof is from the 1400s and has strong wooden beams. The aisles might even have some older stone pieces from the very first church.
The Entrance Porch
The main entrance to the church is through the porch, which dates from around 1500. It's made of wood, but most of it is covered up. The roof is tiled with the same local stone as the rest of the church. Next to the porch, on the wall of the south aisle, you can still see a "scratch dial" from the 1500s. This was a simple sundial used to tell the time.
St Peter's Church Today
St Peter's Church was officially recognized as a Grade I Listed building on October 28, 1957. This means it's a very important historic building.
The church holds two services every Sunday. It also has a youth group and a Sunday school for children. The church serves a mostly rural area, with Ardingly being the main village.
See also
