St Peter and St Paul's Church, Aldeburgh facts for kids
Quick facts for kids St Peter and St Paul's Church, Aldeburgh |
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St Peter and St Paul's Church, Aldeburgh
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| 52°09′18″N 1°36′00″E / 52.154952°N 1.5999055°E | |
| Location | Aldeburgh |
| Country | England |
| Denomination | Church of England |
| History | |
| Dedication | St Peter and St Paul |
| Architecture | |
| Heritage designation | Grade II* listed |
| Administration | |
| Parish | Aldeburgh with Hazlewood |
| Deanery | Saxmundham |
| Archdeaconry | Archdeaconry of Suffolk |
| Diocese | Diocese of St Edmundsbury and Ipswich |
| Province | Province of Canterbury |
St Peter and St Paul's Church in Aldeburgh, Suffolk, is a very old and important church. It is a Grade II* listed building, which means it is recognized for its special history and architecture. It belongs to the Church of England.
History of the Church
The oldest part of St Peter and St Paul's Church is its tower, which was built way back in the 1300s. Most of the other parts you see today, like the main hall (called the nave) and the chapels, were built in the 1500s. For example, the north side was built between 1525 and 1529. The south side and the porch were added a bit later, around 1534 to 1539. The very back part of the church, called the chancel, was finished in 1545.
Over the years, the church has been carefully repaired and updated. Major restoration work happened in the late 1800s to keep this historic building in good condition.
Church Bells
This church has a set of eight large bells that can be rung together. These bells are located in the church tower. Most of the bells were made by a company called John Taylor & Co in 1960 and 1961. This was part of a big project to fix up the bells and add more to the set. The bells were officially blessed again on June 18, 1961.
Before this, the church had six bells. These were also updated in 1885, when one bell was remade and a new one was added. The bells hang in a special wooden frame made from a strong wood called iroko. This frame was put in place when the bells were fixed in the 1960s.
People who are part of the Suffolk Guild of Ringers often ring the bells. They perform long ringing sessions, called "peals," which can last about three hours. These ringing sessions happen most months.
| Bell | Date | Note | Diameter | Founder | Weight | ||
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| long measure | lb | kg | |||||
| Treble | 1961 | Ab | 23.50 in (59.7 cm) | John Taylor & Co | 3 long cwt 0 qr 20 lb | 356 | 161 |
| 2nd | 1961 | G | 24.50 in (62.2 cm) | John Taylor & Co | 3 long cwt 1 qr 25 lb | 389 | 176 |
| 3rd | 1960 | F | 26.00 in (66.0 cm) | John Taylor & Co | 3 long cwt 3 qr 21 lb | 441 | 200 |
| 4th | 1960 | Eb | 27.50 in (69.9 cm) | John Taylor & Co | 4 long cwt 2 qr 2 lb | 506 | 230 |
| 5th | 1622 | Db | 28.50 in (72.4 cm) | William & John II Brend | 4 long cwt 1 qr 7 lb | 483 | 219 |
| 6th | 1913 | C | 31.13 in (79.1 cm) | John Taylor & Co | 6 long cwt 0 qr 4 lb | 676 | 307 |
| 7th | 1913 | Bb | 35.00 in (88.9 cm) | John Taylor & Co | 8 long cwt 2 qr 1 lb | 953 | 432 |
| Tenor | 1960 | Ab | 39.13 in (99.4 cm) | John Taylor & Co | 11 long cwt 2 qr 20 lb | 1,308 | 593 |
Important Memorials
St Peter and St Paul's Church is famous for being the burial place of several well-known people. The most famous are the composer Benjamin Britten and his partner, the singer Peter Pears. Their graves are next to each other in the churchyard.
Other notable people buried here include:
- Elizabeth Garrett Anderson, who was a pioneering doctor.
- Joan Cross, a famous opera singer.
- Imogen Holst, a composer and conductor.
Inside the church, there is a special stained glass window that remembers Benjamin Britten. It was designed by John Piper and Patrick Reyntiens. You can also find a memorial to Newson Garrett and his wife, who were Elizabeth Garrett Anderson's parents. There is also a memorial to the poet George Crabbe (who died in 1832) and a monument to Lady Henrietta Vernon (who died in 1786).
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Grave of Benjamin Britten
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Adjoining grave of Sir Peter Pears
The Church Organ
The church has a large pipe organ with two keyboards. It was built in 1884 by a company called J. W. Walker & Sons Ltd. You can find more details about this organ on the National Pipe Organ Register.
