St Peter and St Paul's Church, Wisbech facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Church of St Peter and St Paul
Church of St Peter and St Paul Location in Cambridgeshire
52°39′50″N 0°09′43″E / 52.6640°N 0.1619°E / 52.6640; 0.1619
Location	Wisbech, Cambridgeshire
Country	England
Denomination	Anglican
Churchmanship	Anglo-Catholic
History
Status	Parish church
Founded	1187
Dedication	Saint Peter, Saint Paul
Architecture
Functional status	Active
Heritage designation	Grade I
Specifications
Bells	10
Administration
Parish	Wisbech
Deanery	Wisbech-Lynn-Marshland
Archdeaconry	Huntingdon and Wisbech
Diocese	Ely
Province	Canterbury

The Parish Church of St Peter and St Paul, often called St Peter's Church, is an Anglican church in Wisbech, Cambridgeshire, England. It is an active parish church within the Diocese of Ely. The church was first built in the 12th century, which means it's over 800 years old!

On July 17, 1951, this church became the very first building in Wisbech to be given a special "Grade I listed" status. This means it's a very important historic building.

What Does the Church Look Like?

Sir John Betjeman, a famous writer, once described St Peter and St Paul's church as a "typical town church." It has a main part called a nave with four aisles, which are like side passages.

The church has some interesting features. One is its bell tower, which stands separate from the main church building. There's also a special wall monument made by Joseph Nollekens. Another cool part is the reredos from 1885. A reredos is a decorated screen or wall behind the altar. This one was designed by William Bassett-Smith and made by Salviati.

The inside of the church shows many different building styles from different time periods. The original part, called the Norman nave, is on the north side. It has its own aisles and chancels. A chancel is the part of the church where the altar is. The original Norman chancel was taken down and replaced with a larger one. This new chancel is in a style called Decorated and has a beautiful east window.

The Detached Bell Tower

The church's tall tower, built in the Perpendicular style, stands apart from the rest of the church. This was done on purpose! The ground here is not very stable. If the tower had been attached and then fell, it could have destroyed the whole church. In fact, an older tower had fallen onto an earlier church building.

The tower becomes more decorated as it gets higher up. Many people who helped pay for the tower are remembered with stone carvings on it. At the very top, there's a modern, pointed spire called a flèche.

The Church Bells

The tower holds a set of ten bells that can be rung together. In 1823, the church's eight old bells were remade. The vicar at the time, Rev. Abraham Jobson, even paid for two extra bells himself! The old bells had dates like 1566, 1608, and 1640. The new set of ten bells is thought to be the fourth oldest set of ten bells in England.

For many years, a "Workmen's bell" was rung at 5:45 AM. A "Curfew bell" was also rung at 8:45 PM. These bells were rung until well into the 20th century. The bells were fixed up and rehung in 1994.

The Churchyard and Cemetery

When the church's graveyard became full, a piece of land called Tillery Field was bought in 1828. This land was used as a cemetery. Many people who died during the 1832 cholera outbreak were buried there. Today, it's known as Tillery Park. The Church of England owns it, and the Fenland District Council takes care of it.

The Rose Fair Festival

The Rose Fair started in 1963. Local rose growers sold rose buds inside the Parish Church to help raise money for its repairs. The church still uses this event to collect funds to keep its old building in good shape.

Over the years, the Rose Fair has grown into a big town festival! The gardens outside the church turn into a busy market. Other local churches and groups set up stalls and activities to raise money for their own causes. On the Saturday of the fair, the Wisbech Round Table organizes a parade of decorated floats through the town in the morning and afternoon.

Images for kids

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  The royal arms inside the church.