St Peter's Church, Heysham facts for kids
Quick facts for kids St Peter's Church, Heysham |
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St Peter's Church, Heysham
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| OS grid reference | SD 410 616 |
| Location | Heysham, Lancashire |
| Country | England |
| Denomination | Anglican |
| Website | http://www.heyshamparish.org.uk/ |
| History | |
| Status | Parish church |
| Dedication | St Peter |
| Architecture | |
| Functional status | Active |
| Heritage designation | Grade I |
| Designated | 29 February 1950 |
| Architect(s) | E. G. Paley (restoration) |
| Architectural type | Church |
| Style | Anglo-Saxon, Norman, Gothic, Gothic Revival |
| Completed | 1864 |
| Specifications | |
| Capacity | 188 |
| Materials | Sandstone rubble Stone slate roofs |
| Administration | |
| Parish | Heysham |
| Deanery | Lancaster |
| Archdeaconry | Lancaster |
| Diocese | Blackburn |
| Province | York |
St Peter's Church is a very old church in the village of Heysham, Lancashire, England. It's a special building because it's listed as Grade I on the National Heritage List for England. This means it's a very important historic building that needs to be protected.
The church is an active Anglican parish church. This means it's a local church for the area that follows the traditions of the Church of England. It is part of the diocese of Blackburn.
Contents
History of St Peter's Church
People believe that a church was first built on this spot a very long time ago, around the 7th or 8th century. Records from 1080 show that there was an old Anglo-Saxon church here. Some parts of that ancient church are still part of the building you see today.
The main part of the church, called the chancel, was built between 1340 and 1350. An extra section, the south aisle, was added in the 15th century. Later, in 1864, the north aisle was built. Other changes and repairs were done by an architect from Lancaster named E. G. Paley. During this time, an old Anglo-Saxon doorway was moved and rebuilt in the churchyard. Also, two private seating areas, called galleries, were removed from inside the church.
What St Peter's Church Looks Like
The church is built from sandstone rocks and has roofs made of stone slate. It has a main area called a nave with sections on either side called aisles. These are all under one continuous roof. There's also a smaller, lower area called the chancel, which also has aisles. The south aisle of the chancel even has a small chapel.
At the front of the church, on the west side, there's a porch and a small tower called a bellcote that holds two bells. The west wall has two supports called buttresses. Between them is a blocked-up Anglo-Saxon doorway with a round top. Above this is a window from the 19th century.
The large east window, which has three sections, dates back to around 1300. Another window in the south wall of the chancel is also from that time. Inside the chancel walls, you can see old coffin lids and a gravestone from a vicar who lived in the 1600s. The font, where baptisms happen, is made of sandstone and is shaped like an octagon. It's probably from the 16th century. The arch leading to the chancel has old Norman decorations with rope-like patterns. On the west wall, there's a stone slab from the medieval period with a cross and a sword carved into it.
The Heysham Hogback Stone
In the south aisle of the chancel, you can find a special stone called a hogback stone. It's from the 10th century and was made by the Vikings. This stone is covered in amazing carvings! On one side, you can see wolves, deer, and men. On the other side, there's a man standing next to a big tree with animals.
This stone is made of red sandstone and is quite large. It's over six feet long and about two feet tall in the middle. People have different ideas about what the carvings mean. Some think they tell a story from an old poem called Völuspá, showing Christianity winning over older beliefs. Others say the meaning of the carvings is still a mystery.
Other Interesting Things Outside
In the churchyard, you'll find the Anglo-Saxon archway that was moved from the church in the 1800s. It's also a listed building, just like the church. There's also an old sandstone sundial from 1696 and a medieval sandstone coffin.
You can also see the bottom part of an Anglo-Saxon cross shaft, which is a very old stone pillar with carvings. It sits on a new sandstone base. This cross base is considered a scheduled monument, meaning it's an important archaeological site. The churchyard also has the war graves of eleven service members who died in World War I and World War II.
Images for kids
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St Peter's Church, Heysham
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The hogback stone
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Anglo-Saxon cross base
