St Peter's Church, Cound facts for kids

Quick facts for kids St Peter's Church, Cound
St Peter's Church, Cound, from the southwest
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OS grid reference	SJ 558,050
Location	Cound, Shropshire
Country	England
Denomination	Anglican
Website	Wenlock Benefice
History
Status	Parish church
Architecture
Functional status	Active
Heritage designation	Grade I
Designated	13 June 1968
Architect(s)	S. Pountney Smith Paley and Austin
Architectural type	Church
Style	Gothic, Gothic Revival
Completed	1891
Specifications
Materials	Sandstone, tiled roofs
Administration
Parish	Cound
Deanery	Condover
Archdeaconry	Ludlow
Diocese	Hereford
Province	Canterbury

St Peter's Church is a historic church located in the village of Cound, Shropshire, England. It's part of the Church of England and is still actively used today. The church is found within the beautiful grounds of Cound Hall. It's considered a very important building, listed as a Grade I building on the National Heritage List for England. This means it has special historical or architectural significance.

History of St Peter's Church

The church is named after Saint Peter because of its old connection to Shrewsbury Abbey. That abbey was dedicated to both Saint Peter and Paul.

The oldest part of St Peter's Church is the main central area, called the nave. It was built way back in the 13th century (the 1200s). The south aisle (a side section) was also built around the same time. However, it was rebuilt about 100 years later.

In the 15th century (the 1400s), a tall tower was added to the west side of the church. Later, in 1841 or 1842, a new north aisle was built. At the same time, the nave and south aisle were repaired and updated. This process is often called a "Victorian restoration."

In 1862, the chancel (the part of the church where the altar is) was built. This was paid for by Revd Henry Thursby-Pelham, who lived at Cound Hall. Both the new north aisle and the chancel were designed by an architect from Shrewsbury named S. Pountney Smith.

Finally, between 1889 and 1891, a north vestry (a room used by the clergy) was added. For this addition, they reused an old 13th-century doorway. The architects for this last part were Paley and Austin from Lancaster.

Architecture of the Church

St Peter's Church is built using two types of sandstone: red and yellow. In the older parts of the church, these stones were used randomly. But in the newer sections from the 1800s, the builders carefully arranged the stones to create patterns. The roof of the church is covered with tiles.

Outside the Church

The church's layout includes a long main area called a nave with four sections. There's a south aisle with three sections and a small entrance porch. On the north side, there's another aisle with four sections. The chancel, where the altar is, has four sections and is built higher than the rest of the church.

The west tower has two main levels. It stands on a strong base called a plinth. The tower has diagonal buttresses, which are supports that stick out from the walls. There's a large three-light window on the west side. A small stair turret is on the northeast side. You can see a clock face on the west side of the tower. Look closely for gargoyles, which are carved stone figures that act as water spouts.

At the top of the tower are three-light bell openings, where the bells are. Above these is a battlemented parapet, which is a low wall with gaps, like on a castle. There are eight pinnacles, which are small, pointed towers, on top of this wall. A pyramid-shaped cap sits on the very top of the tower, with a weathervane to show wind direction.

The south aisle has a doorway and windows with two lights (sections of glass). The east window of this aisle has three lights. The windows along the north aisle also have two lights. At the west end of the north aisle, there's a rectangular window. Above it, in the pointed part of the wall called the gable, is a small quatrefoil window, shaped like a four-leaf clover.

The windows on the side of the chancel have two lights. The large east window of the chancel has five lights. There's also a doorway on the south side of the chancel. The north vestry has windows with two lights and a beautiful round rose window.

Inside the Church

Inside, the main arcades (rows of arches) are supported by round piers (large columns). In the south aisle, you'll find a piscina (a basin for washing sacred vessels) and an aumbry (a small cupboard for storing sacred items).

The font, used for baptisms, is very old, dating back to the 12th century (the 1100s). It's shaped like a tub and is carved with pretty rosettes and leaves. The pulpit, where sermons are given, is from 1633. It's carved with small columns and panels.

The screen in the tower used to be in the chancel. It's painted with important Christian texts like the Creed, the Lord's Prayer, and the Ten Commandments. In the chancel, you can see old medieval tiles that were reused. Above the chancel arch (the arch leading into the chancel) is part of a 15th-century wall painting showing the Last Judgement.

The church has beautiful stained glass windows. A small 14th-century figure can be seen in the east window of the south aisle. The large east window of the chancel has glass from 1891 by an artist named Kempe. In the south aisle, there's another window from 1909 by Herbert Bryans.

On the church walls, you'll find monuments, with the oldest one dating to 1736. On the north wall of the chancel is a monument to Edward Cressett, who was a Bishop and died in 1755.

The church has a two-manual pipe organ that was built in the 1890s by Henry Fincham. It was repaired in 1968. There's also a ring of six bells. All of these bells were made in 1726 by Abraham Rudhall II.

External Features and Churchyard

Around the church, in the churchyard, there are five structures that are also considered important and are listed as Grade II buildings.

To the south of the church, there's a sandstone chest tomb from 1815 for Thomas Phipps. East of that, you'll find another sandstone chest tomb from 1831, remembering John Dodson. Nearby is the chest tomb of Sir John Colt, also made of sandstone, from 1810.

To the northeast of the church is an 18th-century dovecote. This is a two-story building with eight sides, made of red brick with sandstone decorations. It has a tiled, pyramid-shaped roof. Inside, its walls are filled with nesting boxes for doves.

To the southeast of the church, there's a sandstone cross base. It's from the 18th century or even earlier. It has four circular steps with a square hole where a cross would have stood.

The churchyard is also the resting place for three British soldiers who died in World War I. Also buried here is Admiral Sir Cecil Thursby (1861-1936), a naval officer who served with distinction in the same war.

See also

• Grade I listed churches in Shropshire
• Listed buildings in Cound