St Peter's Church, Arkley facts for kids
St Peter's Church is an old and beautiful Church of England church located in Arkley, which is part of the London Borough of Barnet. It was built a long time ago, in the early Victorian era, and is considered a special building because it is a grade II listed building. This means it's protected because of its history and architecture.
Contents
The Story of St Peter's Church
How the Church Was Built
The money to build St Peter's Church came from a man named Enosh Durant (who lived from about 1778 to 1848). He paid for the church to be built using bricks made locally. The church was officially opened and blessed on November 1, 1840, by Charles James Blomfield, who was the Bishop of London at the time. Enosh Durant owned a brick factory nearby and lived on a large estate called High Canons. After he passed away, his wife placed a special monument inside the church to remember him.
Changes and Additions Over Time
Over the years, the church has grown and changed.
- In 1898, a new part called the chancel was added. This part of the church is usually where the altar is. The Bishop of St Albans, John Festing, blessed this new section.
- In 1903, beautiful stained glass windows were put in the east part of the church.
- A Lady Chapel was added in 1921. This is a special area often used for quiet prayer.
- Outside the church, a war memorial was put up in 1920 to remember people who died in wars. This memorial is also a Grade II listed building, just like the church itself.
- Inside the church, there are also memorials for those who died in both World Wars.
- More recently, in 2023, a new bench was placed by the west door to honor Geoffrey and Jan Mabbett, who were important local people. This new bench replaced an older one from 1953, which was put there for the Coronation of Queen Elizabeth II.
- Another bench was added in 2023 to celebrate the Coronation of King Charles III. This bench is in the garden behind the church and was officially opened by Theresa Villiers MP, who is a Member of Parliament.
The Church's Role in the Community
St Peter's Church was first built for the people who worked for Enosh Durant and lived on his land. After he died, it became a "chapel-of-ease" for St John the Baptist Church, Chipping Barnet. This means it was a smaller church that helped serve the larger parish. This change happened in 1888 and was blessed by Alfred Blomfield, who was the Bishop of Colchester and the son of Charles Blomfield.
In 1905, Arkley became its own separate church area, or parish, with St Peter's as its main church. Since the 1980s, St Peter's has been part of a group of churches called the Chipping Barnet Team Ministry, working together to serve the community.
Famous People Connected to St Peter's
Remembering Trevor Howard
The ashes of a famous English actor named Trevor Howard are buried in a quiet spot near the church. There is a small plaque on the outside wall of the church that remembers the Howard family.
Christine Hardman's Wedding
Christine Hardman, who later became the Bishop of Newcastle, got married at St Peter's Church in 1971. She was a very important person in the Church of England because she became the second woman to be a diocesan bishop, which is a very high leadership position.
Gallery
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The East end of the church
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The West end of the church
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The church's font, used for baptisms
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The church organ
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The South side of the church
