St Peter's Church, Devizes facts for kids
Quick facts for kids St Peter's Church, Devizes |
|
|---|---|
.jpg)
St Peter's, Devizes, as seen from the Bath Road
|
|
| 51°21′14″N 2°00′22″W / 51.354°N 2.006°W | |
| Country | England |
| Denomination | Church of England |
| Churchmanship | Traditional Anglo-Catholic |
| History | |
| Status | Active |
| Dedication | St. Peter |
| Consecrated | 24 July 1866 |
| Architecture | |
| Functional status | Parish church |
| Heritage designation | Grade II listed |
| Architect(s) | William Slater and Richard Carpenter |
| Groundbreaking | 30 June 1865 |
| Completed | 1866 |
| Administration | |
| Parish | Devizes |
| Archdeaconry | Wiltshire |
| Diocese | Diocese of Salisbury |
| Province | Province of Canterbury |
St Peter's Church is a special Anglican church located in Devizes, Wiltshire. It's a beautiful Victorian building found on the Bath Road, on the west side of the town. St Peter's is one of four Anglican churches in Devizes. It belongs to the Anglican Diocese of Salisbury but also has a special connection with the Bishop of Oswestry. The people who attend St Peter's are part of a group called Devizes Churches Together.
Contents
The History of St Peter's Church
Why Was St Peter's Built?
St Peter's Church was built because Rev Benjamin Dowding, who was the Vicar of St James's Church in Devizes, felt the town needed another church. He wanted a church closer to the Kennet and Avon Canal and the busy industries nearby.
Building the Church
The first stone for the church was laid on June 30, 1865, by Rev Dowding. The building work happened between 1865 and 1866. The church was designed by architects Slater & Carpenter.
The church was officially opened and blessed on July 24, 1866. This special ceremony was led by Walter Kerr Hamilton, who was the Bishop of Salisbury at the time. The Royal Wiltshire Militia even marched to the church for the event!
Later Additions to the Building
More parts were added to the church later. Between 1884 and 1885, a south aisle and an organ chamber were built. This work was done by Weaver & Adye.
Important People at St Peter's
The first vicar of St Peter's was Rev Harold Grindle. Over the years, other vicars helped the church grow. One important vicar was Canon Frederick Phipps, who served for 34 years. He helped introduce the Anglo-Catholic style of worship, which is still followed at St Peter's today.
Rev Douglas Bryant was another vicar who served for seven years. He helped make the church a very spiritual place. He later became a Canon at Guildford Cathedral. His son, Mark Bryant, also became a bishop.
Special Features of St Peter's
Stations of the Cross
St Peter's Church has a beautiful set of Stations of the Cross. These are hand-carved wooden pictures or carvings that show the journey of Jesus on the day he was crucified. They are placed along the walls of the church.
Icons
The church also has a collection of icons. Icons are special religious paintings, often showing holy figures. At St Peter's, you can see icons of St Paul and St Peter. The icon of St Peter was a gift to the church from a former member named Estelle Holloway.
The Church Organ
St Peter's has a large pipe organ with two keyboards. It was built in 1898 by Griffin and Stroud. You can find out more details about this organ on the National Pipe Organ Register.
