St Peter's Church, Nottingham facts for kids
Quick facts for kids The Church of St Peter with St James |
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St Peter's Church Nottingham
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| 52°57′8″N 1°8′55″W / 52.95222°N 1.14861°W | |
| Location | Nottingham |
| Country | England |
| Denomination | Church of England |
| Churchmanship | Broad church |
| Website | nottinghamchurches.org |
| History | |
| Dedication | St Peter |
| Architecture | |
| Heritage designation | Grade I listed |
| Specifications | |
| Capacity | 350 |
| Height | 150 feet (46 m) |
| Administration | |
| Parish | All Saints, St Mary and St Peter |
| Deanery | Nottingham South |
| Archdeaconry | Nottingham |
| Diocese | Southwell and Nottingham |
| Province | Province of York |
St Peter's Church, officially called The Church of St Peter with St James, is an Anglican parish church in the city centre of Nottingham, England. It is part of a larger group of churches in Nottingham.
This church is very special! It is a Grade I listed building. This means the government has marked it as a building of amazing architectural or historical importance.
Contents
History of St Peter's Church
St Peter's is one of three very old churches in Nottingham. The other two are St Mary's and St Nicholas. These churches have been around for a long, long time!
How the Church Grew Over Time
The first church here, built around 1100, was sadly destroyed by a fire. But people rebuilt it! You can still see parts of the church that were built around 1180. This shows how the church has changed and grown over many centuries.
In 1933, St Peter's Church joined with another church called St. James' Church. That's why its full name is "St Peter with St James." St. James' Church was taken down later, but some of its important memorials are now kept safe inside St Peter's.
Music at St Peter's
Music is a big part of St Peter's Church! It has a beautiful organ, a talented choir, and even hosts special concerts. The main person in charge of music is the Organist and Director of Music, Peter Siepmann, who started in 2007.
The Church Choir
The choir at St Peter's has a long and proud history. Many people have helped it grow over the years. The choir sings during church services every Sunday. They also perform in concerts often.
Sometimes, the choir travels to sing in other famous churches and cathedrals across the UK and even in other countries! Their first trip was to Lichfield Cathedral in 1969. In 2008, they even sang for several days at the famous Westminster Abbey.
Concerts for Everyone
St Peter's Church holds regular "coffee break" concerts on Saturday mornings. These concerts started in 1988 and are a great way to enjoy music in a relaxed setting. The church also sometimes has bigger, more formal concerts in the evenings.
The Church Organ
The church has had an organ since 1812, after a period when organs were not allowed. Over the years, this organ has been made bigger and fixed up many times. In 1952, parts of another church's organ were added to St Peter's.
A brand new organ was put in the church in 2010. This new organ uses a mix of old and new pipes, plus digital sounds. It's in the north-east part of the church and has a very old-looking case from the 1700s. This organ is designed for concerts and to help people sing during services.
Did you know that people have been paid to play the organ at St Peter's for a very long time? Records show payments to organists as far back as the 1400s and 1500s! In 1785, someone was even paid to teach boys how to sing.
The Church Clock
St Peter's Church has a very old clock! In 1552, records show there was a clock in the church's tall tower. It might have been there since the 1400s. In 1577, someone was paid to look after the clock.
In 1723–24, the church paid someone to ring a bell at 4 o’clock in the morning. Imagine waking up to that!
New Clocks Over Time
In 1846, a new church clock was being put in. During this time, a worker helping to take down the old clock face had a bit of an accident when it fell. Luckily, he was okay!
The new clock was installed in 1847. It was made by Reuben Bosworth and cost £125. At the time, it was the biggest clock in Nottingham! It had a pendulum that was over 10 feet long and a heavy bob. This clock had four faces, each about 7 feet wide. On Christmas Eve in 1852, a strong storm actually broke one of the clock's minute hands!
In 1872, new cast iron clock faces were given to the church. These also measured 7 feet across.
Another new clock was put in during 1881. This one had a special mechanism called a Denison Remontoire, which helped it keep time very accurately. It also had a hammer that struck the hour bell. Finally, in 1965, an electric clock from Smiths of Derby was installed, which is what the church uses today.
See also
- Grade I listed buildings in Nottinghamshire
- Listed buildings in Nottingham (Bridge ward)
