St Peter Mancroft facts for kids
Quick facts for kids St Peter Mancroft, Norwich |
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 St Peter Mancroft, Norwich
Location in Norfolk
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| 52°37′40″N 1°17′33″E / 52.62778°N 1.29250°E | |
| OS grid reference | TG 22932 08426 |
| Country | England |
| Denomination | Church of England |
| Churchmanship | Central |
| Website | www.stpetermancroft.org.uk |
| History | |
| Dedication | Saint Peter |
| Administration | |
| Parish | Norwich, St Peter Mancroft |
| Diocese | Norwich |
| Province | Canterbury |
St Peter Mancroft is a large and important church in the centre of Norwich, Norfolk, England. It belongs to the Church of England. It is the third largest church in Norwich, after the city's two cathedrals.
This church was first built a very long time ago, between the years 1066 and 1075. It was started by a person named Ralph de Gael, who was an Earl. The church you see today was rebuilt much later, between 1430 and 1455. It stands on a small hill right next to the busy market place. St Peter Mancroft is also part of the Greater Churches Group, which means it's one of the most important parish churches in England.
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Exploring St Peter Mancroft Church
The church building you can visit today was started in 1430. It was officially opened in 1455. It is about 180 feet long and made of smooth stone. There is a tall tower at the west end of the church. This building is so special that it is listed as a Grade I listed building. This means it is a very important historical building.
The church has a very old foundation that dates back to 1075. This shows how long a church has stood on this spot.
Inside the Church: Old Treasures
Inside St Peter Mancroft, you can find many old and interesting things. There is a font from 1463, which is a large basin used for baptisms. You can also see a beautiful tapestry from 1573, which was made in Flanders.
The church also has some amazing medieval stained glass. This glass includes the "Toppes Window" from 1450. It was given to the church by Robert Toppes, who was a rich merchant and mayor of Norwich.
The Toppes Window Glass
Eleven panels from the original Toppes Window are still here. They have been moved around over the years but are now in the east window. These panels show different scenes, including:
- Jesus at the Tomb
- The Circumcision of Christ
- The Apostles
- A scene where a Jewish man tries to stop the funeral of the Virgin Mary. He is shown wearing armour.
- The Annunciation (when an angel told Mary she would have Jesus)
- The Visitation (when Mary visited Elizabeth)
- The Nativity (the birth of Jesus) and shepherds
- Two scenes of the Adoration of the Magi (the wise men visiting Jesus)
- The Massacre of the Innocents (a sad story from the Bible)
- A panel showing Robert Toppes and his two wives
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It's interesting that none of the old glass is in its original spot. It has been moved and put back together several times. This happened during "improvements" in the 1800s and after World War II. The east window also shows images of St William and St Erkenwald.
In the North transept (a part of the church that sticks out), you can see a collection of church silver. There are also items linked to a famous doctor and writer named Thomas Browne. He wrote a well-known book called Religio Medici. In 1896, a small spire with flying buttresses was added to the church's roof.
Hidden Jars in the Floor
In 1850, something unusual was found under the wooden floor where the choir used to sit. Workers discovered two L-shaped trenches. Inside these trenches, there were many acoustic jars. These earthenware jars were built into the walls of the trenches. Their open mouths faced into the trenches. These jars were likely used to improve the sound inside the church.
Past Leaders of the Church
Many important people have led St Peter Mancroft church over the centuries. They are called incumbents or vicars. Here are some of the people who have served the church:
- Hugh Casselton (1572 - 1588)
- William Wells (1598 - 1620)
- John Brereton (1620 - 1632)
- Thomas Tenison (1670 - 1680)
- John Connould (1683 - 1708)
- John Jeffrery (1714 - 1723)
- Charles John Chapman (1805 - 1826)
- John Watson Bowman (1826 - 1848)
- Charles Turner (1848 - 1878)
- Sidney Pelham (1879 - 1881)
- Henry Neville (1881 - 1884)
- Frederick Baggalley (1884 - 1890)
- William Pelham-Burn (1890 - 1901)
- Frederick James Meyrick (1901 - 1929)
- Hugh McMullan (1929 - 1940)
- John Waddington (1945 - 1958)
- Kenneth Wilkinson Riddle (1959 - 1960)
- Frank Sydney Jarvis (1960 - 1965)
- William John Westwood (1965 - 1975)
- David Sharp (1975 - 1998)
- Peter W Nokes (1999 - 2015)
- Robert Avery (2015 - 2017)
- Ian Bentley (2017 - 2018)
- Edward Carter (2018 – present)
The Church Organ
St Peter Mancroft has a wonderful organ. A brand new organ was put into the church in 1984. It was built by a famous organ builder named Peter Collins. You can find out more about this organ on the National Pipe Organ Register website.
Organists of St Peter Mancroft
The organist is the person who plays the organ during church services. Many talented musicians have been organists at St Peter Mancroft. Some of them also became organists at Norwich Cathedral.
- William Pleasants (1708 - 1717)
- Humphrey Cotton (1717 - 1720)
- George Baker (1720 - ????)
- Samuel Cook (???? - 1780)
- Edward Beckwith (1780 - 1793)
- John Christmas Beckwith (1794 - 1808)
- John Charles Beckwith (1809 - 1819)
- Alfred Pettet (1819 - 1837)
- Samuel Critchfield, Junior (1837 - 1851)
- James Harcourt (1851 - 1877)
- Edward Bunnett (1877 - 1908)
- Richard John Maddern-Williams (1908 - 1922)
- Frank Edward Newman (1922 - 1926)
- Richard John Maddern-Williams (1926 - 1941)
- Charles Joseph Romaine Coleman (1942 - 1959)
- Kenneth Ryder (1963 - 2005)
- Matthew Pitts (2006 - 2009)
- Julian Haggett (2009–present)
