St Peter's Church, Sudbury facts for kids
Quick facts for kids St Peter's, Sudbury |
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St Peter's, Sudbury, from the north
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| OS grid reference | TL 875 414 |
| Location | Sudbury, Suffolk |
| Country | England |
| Website | St Peters Sudbury |
| History | |
| Dedication | Saint Peter |
| Architecture | |
| Functional status | Redundant |
| Heritage designation | Grade I |
| Designated | 3 March 1952 |
| Architect(s) | William Butterfield George Frederick Bodley (restorations) |
| Architectural type | Church |
| Style | Gothic |
| Specifications | |
| Materials | Flint with some stone, tile and brick |
St Peter's Church in Sudbury, Suffolk, England, used to be a church but is now a cool Arts Centre! It's a really old building, right in the middle of Sudbury on Market Hill. This church is so important that it's a "Grade I listed building," which means it's super special and protected. The Churches Conservation Trust takes care of it. People have worshipped here since at least 1180. The church you see today was mostly built in the 1400s, but it's been fixed up many times over the years.
Contents
History of St Peter's Church
The first time we hear about St Peter's Church in old papers is in 1180. Back then, it was a smaller church connected to St Gregory's Church. The church was built in different steps. The first parts, like the front of the main hall and the bottom of the tower, were built around 1330–1348. More parts were added around 1360, and then again between 1425 and 1450.
Changes Over the Years
In 1643, during the English Civil War, a person named William Dowsing caused damage to many things inside the church. Later, in 1685, the church was fixed up, and parts of the roof were changed. A clock was put in the tower in 1701. In the early 1700s, a tall, pointy spire made of metal and wood was added. This spire was replaced with a new one in 1810.
A big restoration (meaning a major repair and update) happened in 1858–1859. This work was led by an architect named William Butterfield. During this time, old seating areas called "box pews" were taken out. The floor in the main worship area, called the chancel, was relaid. New stained glass windows were also put in by a company called Hardman & Co.
Modern Era and New Purpose
In 1898, the chancel was restored again and decorated by another architect, George Frederick Bodley. A beautiful wooden screen, called a reredos, was added in the Lady Chapel. The outside stone parts of the church were repaired in 1911. At this time, statues were placed in three special spots on the south porch.
More repairs happened in 1968. The top part of the tower was replaced, and the spire was taken down. Most of Bodley's paintings were also removed from the chancel. In 1972, the church was no longer used for regular services. In 1976, it was given to the Churches Conservation Trust. A group called "The Friends of St. Peter's" was formed to help the Trust take care of the church. Since then, St Peter's has become a busy place for concerts, art shows, and other events.
Architecture of St Peter's
St Peter's Church is mostly built from flint, which is a type of stone, along with some regular stone, bricks, and tiles. The church isn't perfectly square because it had to fit into a tight space. The front part of the church, called the chancel, isn't quite lined up with the main part, the nave.
Outside the Church
The church has a long main hall (nave) with windows high up, called a clerestory. It also has side aisles, a chancel with an organ room, and a special area for the Lady Chapel. The tower is at the west end and is part of the church building. The church shows two main styles of old English architecture: Decorated and Perpendicular Gothic.
The tower has three levels and strong supports called buttresses. The top of the tower has a cool stepped design, and instead of pointy tops, there are statues at the corners. The side aisles also have this stepped design. The main way to enter the church is through the big door at the bottom of the tower. There used to be another main entrance through the south porch. The three statues on the outside of this porch show Christ in the middle, with Saint Peter on one side and Saint Gregory on the other.
Inside the Church
Inside, the church has rows of arches called arcades. The columns on the north side are different from those on the south. The roof is flat and covered, divided into sections. It has shiny gold decorations where the sections meet. This is the only medieval (Middle Ages) nave roof in Suffolk that still has its original covered and panelled look. Some of Bodley's paintings can still be seen on the arch leading to the chancel.
In the south aisle, there's an eight-sided font from the 1400s. A font is a basin used for baptisms. This font was actually taken out of the church in the 1600s and used as a horse trough! But the horses wouldn't drink from it, so it was brought back to the church.
In the chancel, there's a large wooden screen (reredos) designed by Bodley. It's about 20 feet (6 meters) tall and shows the Crucifixion. On the sides of the chancel are screens from the 1400s. In the Lady Chapel, the font has a carving of the Nativity (the birth of Jesus). The reredos here is a copy of Leonardo da Vinci's famous painting, Last Supper. Above the north and south doors, there are paintings of Moses and Aaron. These paintings used to be at the very front of the church.
The reading stand (lectern), the pulpit (where sermons are given), and the altar are all from the Victorian era. The stained glass windows are also Victorian. The church has a large organ with three keyboards, built in 1911. It has been repaired and rebuilt several times, most recently in 1999. The church also has a set of ten bells. The oldest three bells were made around 1470, and the newest two were added in 1978.
See also
