St Peter Church, Canterbury

LOCATION: This church is situated in the centre of Canterbury just off the High Street (St Peters Street) and only a short distance east of the West Gate. It is c. 30 feet above OD.

DESCRIPTION:
The earliest visible part of this church is the round-headed arch at the west end of the north arcade (see drawing in Smith (1971), 103 fig 3). This has Caenstone voussoirs and sits on plain rectangular piers with side-alternate Caenstone jambs, at the top of which are plain square imposts with a plain chamfer below. The masonry is diagonally tooled and must date from the first half of the 12th century.
   A bit later in date is the small tower on the south-west. This was rebuilt and largely refaced externally in the early 14th century, but inside its east arch into the south aisle is similar to the north arcade arch, but is pointed and has some Reigate stone among its Caenstone quoins. The very large and long external quoins to the tower, which have been called 'Saxo-Norman' re surely a mixture of reused Roman blocks and new Ragstone long ties of the 14th century (compare the 'long and short' work on the north west quoin of the 14th century Lady Chapel).
   Soon after the tower was built, probably in the early 13th century, the south door was built. This has jambs largely of Reigate stone, and on its east side a very worn capital and base indicate a missing shaft (no doubt a Purbeck marble column). The beginning of the moulded archway over the door (also in Reigate stone) can be seen on the east, but the rest of it has been restored with plain Caenstone voussoirs. Inside the original hooks for the double doors still survive.
   There is a plain font of c.1200 with a square bowl of Bethersden marble at the west end of the nave. It has a 17th century cover and iron crane for lifting it.
   During the 13th century, as is commonly found, a longer new chancel was built (confirmed by documentary evidence, which shows that in rental D (Urry, 209 and 304) of c. 1200, the eastern part of the area now occupied by the chancel was still in secular hands). The most obvious evidence for this is the wide lancet on the south-east side of the chancel, which shows that the south aisle was only extended eastwards at a later date. The two wide but plain arches on the north side of the chancel have chamfers with bar stops and comb-tooling which also suggests a 13th century date. The narrower western arch in the south arcade (opposite the south door) is also a plain 13th century arch.
   In the early 14th century the tower and west wall of the church was rebuilt. The west wall was realigned, presumably to allow St Peter's Lane, which bifurcated immediately north of the church, more room. At the same time a new 3-light east window was built that has similar 'Decorated' tracery to the new west window. The tower has small single light early 14th century windows in its upper stage, and a probably comtemporary (but now restored) crenellated parapet. Inside the top stage of the tower is a (probably 14th century) timber bell-frame. It was heightened and enlarged for 3 bells in the early 17th century and restored in 1968 when 4 bells were hung there (including a treble, recast in 1903, from St Margaret's Church). There are still two medieval bells in the tower, one of which (the tenor) was cast by William le Belyetere in the early 14th century. The other by William Wodewarde is a bit later (c. 1400).
   Also probably of the first half of the 14th century is the new, much wider, Lady Chapel on the north east. It has one original two light window on the north, but unfortunately the east window has its tracery removed and replaced with (c. early 19th century) timber Y-tracery. Between the Lady Chapel and Chancel a fire Easter Sepulcre (with cusped and sub-cusped arches over on both sides) was inserted. Some time perhaps later in the 14th century a new wide but irregularly shaped north aisle was created west of the Lady Chapel and a new crown-post roof was erected over the whole north aisle and Lady Chapel. There is a three light window with hexofoils over at the west end of the enlarged north aisle with a square hood mould externally. However, the Petrie view from the north-west of 1801 shows only a 2 light window without upper quatre-foiled lights.
   Also perhaps of the first half of the 14th century, is the rebuilt south aisle which terminated in the Chapel of St John-the-Baptist (see will of 1505). The east window is of the reticulated variety while in the south wall are 2-light, 3-light and 2-light windows all under square hood-moulds. They have all been heavily restored externally in Bathstone. There is a piscina under the eastern 2-light window with a small shelf over the damaged bowl. Between this aisle and the chancel are two contemporary plain arches with simple chamfers and (now worn) brooch-stops at the base. At about the same time the old Romanesque piers were probably demolished at the east end of the nave and two very wide but plain arches were inserted instead. The crown-post roof over the new south aisle may also be 14th century, but that over the nave is perhaps 15th century. There is also a double piscina on the south-east side of the chancel with a Perpendicular head over it, and a small window at the extreme west end of the north aisle on the north side with a simple cinque-foiled head (now into the vestry).
   The only late-15th century addition to the church are probably the rood-screen and loft. The extra tie-beam here is probably part of the rood loft (a door through the south pier between the nave and chancel still survives) and the doorway from the north chapel into the late 19th century parish hall beyond. This small doorway dates from c. 1500 and presumably lead originally into a comtemporary vestry.
   The major restoration of the church was in 1882, when a new parish hall to the north was built, as we have seen. Much of the external parts of the windows were restored at this time in Bathstone.

BUILDING MATERIALS (Incl. old plaster, paintings, glass, tiles etc.):
The 12th century work has only Caenstone for quoins with flint, reused Roman bricks, etc, for the rubble work. By the end of the 12th century Reigate stone was being introduced, and by the later 13th century Ragstone is used, and this is the most common quoin material for the 14th century work (though Caen is still used).
   The usual 19th century restoration in Bathstone, while the east wall of the church was refaced in 19th century buff brick (also the upper part of the south-east buttress). The east window has recently been refaced externally in Lepine.

Bells in tower: Treble - 1903 (S B Goslin, from St Margaret's Church), 2nd 1637 (John Palmer, Canterbury) 3rd c 1400 (William Wodewarde, London), Tenor c.1325 (William Le Belyetere, Canterbury) (rehung for chiming only 1968). Some old glass also survives.

EXCEPTIONAL MONUMENTS IN CHURCH
Alone, but fine (repainted) 1704 Royal Arms, now on N wall of N aisle.

CHURCHYARD AND ENVIRONS:
Size: Small area to south east and east of church with small, ? 19th century extension on the north.

Condition: Slightly overgrown on south side of church.

Boundary walls: 19th century ones on NW and E

Building in churchyard or on boundary: South boundary backs onto shops.

Ecological potential: ? Slight

HISTORICAL RECORD (where known):
Earliest ref. to church: Christchurch Rental D of c. 1200 (see W Urry Canterbury under the Angeuin Kings (1967), 209 and 304.

Late med. status: Rectory

Patron: Christchurch Priory, then Dean and Chapter of Canterbury. In 1681 united with Holy Cross, Westgate.

Other documentary sources: Test. Cant. (E Kent 1907), 63 - Wills mention burial 'in the church at the west end before my pew (1490); burial in the chancel (1495); burial in the Chapel of St Mary (1504) and 'Buried in the Quier of the church before the Image of Our Lady there; my ex'ors to place over my grave a stone of five foot with a scripture of my name thereupon to be graven in Laten, without any image thereupon to be fixed, Constance Martyn (1514). She also gave a silver goblet 'towards making the new roodloft' (1514). There is also burial in the Chapel of St John-the-Baptist (1505). Somner (1703ed.), 164 and Appendix 69-70 has details of now-gone monuments and glass in the church.

ARCHAEOLOGICAL RECORD:
Reused materials: Many Roman bricks, particularly in west wall

Finds from church\churchyard:

Finds within 0.5km:

Previous archaeological work (published): Work on early fabric by T P Smith (op cit inf)

SURVIVAL OF ARCHAEOLOGICAL DEPOSITS:
Inside present church: Good

Outside present church: ? Good

RECENT DISTURBANCES/ALTERATIONS:
To structure: none, except refacing of the whole E window. Redecoration in 1992.

Quinquennial inspection (date\architect): A Swaine

ARCHAEOLOGICAL AND HISTORICAL ASSESSMENT:
The church and churchyard: A fine, irregular in plan, 12th century and later church, with a nave and two aisles (large open arcades). It was already aisled by the 12th century.

The wider context: One of only two city-centre churches still in use.

REFERENCES: See useful article on the church by T P Smith in Arch. Cant 86 91971), 99-108 with plan, photos and drawings 'c.11th century' features.

Guide book: Leaflet (1992) by Sylvia McKean.

Plans & drawings: Petrie view from the NW in 1801, and c 1595 Bird's eye view in Blackfriars map by T Langdon.


DATES VISITED: 9th November 1992                                       REPORT BY: Tim Tatton-Brown