St Peter's Church, Sandwich facts for kids
Quick facts for kids St Peter's Church, Sandwich |
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St Peter's Church, Sandwich, from the southeast
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| OS grid reference | TR 331 580 |
| Location | Sandwich, Kent |
| Country | England |
| Denomination | Anglican |
| Website | Churches Conservation Trust |
| History | |
| Dedication | Saint Peter |
| Architecture | |
| Functional status | Redundant |
| Heritage designation | Grade I |
| Designated | 19 May 1950 |
| Architect(s) | William White (?) (restoration) |
| Architectural type | Church |
| Style | Gothic |
| Specifications | |
| Materials | Mixture of pebbles, stone rubble, and brick Roofs tiled |
St Peter's Church is a church in Sandwich, Kent, England, that is no longer used for regular services by the Church of England. It is a very important historical building, protected as a Grade I listed building, and is looked after by the Churches Conservation Trust.
Contents
A Look Back: The Church's History
How the Church Began
A church built in the Norman style stood on this spot around the year 1100. This first church was probably destroyed in 1216 when French forces attacked Sandwich. The church was rebuilt in the 1200s, possibly by Carmelite friars from France. At that time, the church had a nave (the main part where people sit), north and south aisles (side sections), a tower, and a chancel (the area near the altar). Under the chancel was a vaulted undercroft (an underground room), which might have been used as a charnel house (a place for bones).
Changes Over Time
In the 1300s, the north aisle was made wider and taller. A chantry chapel (a small chapel for special prayers) was added at the east end of the south aisle. The north porch was built in the 1400s.
In 1560, a group of Protestants from Flanders (now parts of Belgium and the Netherlands) came to live in Sandwich. St Peter's became their church. In 1661, the church tower fell down, damaging the south side. The Flemish community rebuilt the tower, but they left the south aisle in ruins. They filled in the south arcade (a row of arches), making it the outside south wall. They also added a small dome, called a cupola, to the top of the tower.
The church was restored in the 1800s. In the 1860s, the west end was repaired after a storm. The roofs were re-tiled, and the choir seating was changed. The old box pews (enclosed seats) were replaced with bench seating. The pulpit (where sermons are given) was moved from the north wall to the southeast corner of the nave. It is thought that the architect William White might have helped with some of these changes.
Church Design and Features
Outside the Church
The church is built from a mix of materials, including pebbles, stone rubble, and brick. The roofs are covered with tiles. The church's layout includes a nave, a central tower, a chancel, and a north aisle that runs almost the entire length of the church. At the southeast side, there is a two-story vestry (a room for clergy robes and church items). There is also a ruined vestry at the east end of the aisle.
The tower has three levels. The top two levels, built after the 1661 collapse, have round-topped windows and openings for bells, along with clock faces. The top edge of the tower is battlemented (like a castle wall), and a square domed cupola sits on top. On the south side of the bottom level of the tower, there is a window from the 1600s. Below this is a blocked-up arch, which also has a blocked-up window from the 1600s. On the south side of the nave and chancel, there are more blocked-up arches. Above the blocked arches in the nave, you can see the 1200s clerestory (an upper wall with windows) which has pairs of windows.
The south vestry sticks out from the chancel and has a curved Dutch gable (a decorative wall shape) from the mid-1500s. This part has square windows from the 1500s. The undercroft beneath the vestry is partly underground and gets light from two openings from the 1200s. The east window is from the 1300s and is in the Decorated style. There are more Decorated windows in the north aisle, and other windows from the 1600s or 1700s. The north porch has a battlemented top and dates from the 1400s. It leads to a door from the 1300s. The west door is from the 1800s and is also in the Decorated style.
Inside the Church
Between the nave and the north aisle, there is a three-bay arcade (a row of arches). Between the chancel and the aisle, there is a two-bay arcade. Both arcades are supported by polygonal piers (multi-sided pillars). In the chancel, there is a three-seat sedilia (seats for clergy) from the 1200s, and a piscina (a basin for washing sacred vessels). There is a blocked-up squint (a small opening to see the altar) in the sedilia, and another in the north chapel. You can also see the royal arms of King Charles II inside the church.
In the north aisle, there are several late 1300s tomb recesses (spaces in the wall for tombs). The church has a small organ with one keyboard, four stops, and 173 pipes. It uses pipes from an older organ built around 1880. This organ was put in the north aisle in 1895. It has since been rebuilt and is now in the nave. There is a set of eight bells, all made in 1779. They cannot be rung because the tower is not safe. They were last rung (except for the curfew bell) in 1913.
What's Happening Now
In 1948, the church areas of St Peter's, St Mary's, and St Clement's were joined together. St Clement's became the main parish church for Sandwich, and St Peter's stopped being used for regular worship. From 1952, Sir Roger Manwood's School used it as their chapel.
On February 22, 1973, the church was officially declared no longer needed for regular services. It was then given to the Churches Conservation Trust on April 16, 1974, to be looked after. In the 1990s, a garden was created in what used to be the ruined south aisle. This garden has a two-light window from the 1300s, which was moved from the old St Thomas' Hospital and put here in 1923. In 2006, the Trust began a seven-year project to repair and redecorate the church.
A group called the Friends of St Peter's helps to care for the church. The church hosts community events and occasional services. At the west end of the church, there is a display about the Earls of Sandwich. The old tradition of ringing the curfew bell from the church at 8 PM every day still continues. The church is open daily for visitors.
See also
