St Peter and St Paul's Church, Preston Deanery facts for kids
Quick facts for kids St Peter and St Paul's Church,Preston Deanery |
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St Peter and St Paul's Church, Preston Deanery, from the east
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| OS grid reference | NZ 274 513 |
| Location | Preston Deanery, Northamptonshire |
| Country | England |
| Denomination | Anglican |
| Website | Churches Conservation Trust |
| Architecture | |
| Functional status | Redundant |
| Heritage designation | Grade II* |
| Designated | 3 May 1968 |
| Architectural type | Church |
| Style | Norman, Gothic, Gothic Revival |
| Specifications | |
| Length | 77 feet (23.5 m) |
| Materials | Limestone with ironstone dressings, slate roofs |
St Peter and St Paul's Church is an old Anglican church in a small village called Preston Deanery, in Northamptonshire, England. It's a 'redundant' church, which means it's not used for regular church services anymore. Even so, it still hosts special events sometimes, like services for Christmas.
This church is very important! It's listed as a Grade II* building on the National Heritage List for England. This means it's a very special historic building. The Churches Conservation Trust looks after it, making sure it stays safe for future generations.
Contents
The Church's Long History
This church has been around for a very long time! It first started being built in the 1100s. Parts of the original church, like its tower and some walls, are still standing today.
Changes Over the Centuries
In the 1200s, the church got bigger. More parts were added, and new windows were put in. But after a big change in England called the English Reformation, the church stopped being used.
By the 1500s, it became a ruin. The bells were sold, and parts of the church were even pulled down. Can you believe the main part of the church was used as a dog kennel? And the tower became a home for pigeons!
Repairs and Restorations
Luckily, the church was fixed up around 1622. New doors and windows were added then. More repairs happened in 1808 and again in 1854. The church was also worked on in 1901 and 1976.
Finally, in 1972, the church was officially declared 'redundant'. In 1976, the Churches Conservation Trust took over its care.
What the Church Looks Like
The church is made from limestone rocks, with ironstone details. Its roof is made of slate. The church has three main parts: a nave (the main seating area), a chancel (where the altar is), and a tall tower at the west end.
Outside the Church
The tower is about 50 feet (15 meters) tall and has three sections. It has strong supports called pilaster buttresses on each side. If you look closely, you can see old, blocked-up doorways and small windows. The top of the tower has a battlemented edge, like a castle.
The east window, which faces the sunrise, has three sections and fancy stone patterns from the 1800s. There's even a stone above it that says "1808", showing when some repairs happened. You can also spot old, blocked-up doorways and different types of windows around the church.
Inside the Church
The arch leading into the chancel is in the Norman style, which is very old. It used to be covered in plaster. But when archaeologists removed some of the plaster, they found amazing carvings!
These carvings include zigzag patterns, diamond shapes, and even pictures of a snake and birds. Some people thought they might be Viking style or from an even older church cross. But experts now believe these carvings are from the late 1000s or early 1100s, and they were made specifically for this church.
Inside the chancel, you'll find special seats called a sedilia, a basin called a piscina, and a cupboard called an aumbry. The font, where baptisms happen, is built into the tower arch.
The church also has two hatchments (painted boards remembering important people) and other memorials. There is one bell in the tower, made in 1710.
See also
