Bath, Twerton-on-Avon: St Peter
Overview
Grid reference: ST 738 647
This church is a large building in the Early English style, but of a plan and type which no mediaeval architect would have thought of producing. It is simply a large room with a shallow apse at the east end for a chancel and a small south transept.
Visiting and facilities
Building is closed for worship
Building
Ground Plan Description and Dimensions
Ground plan:
Simply a rectangle terminating at the east end in a shallow polygonal apse; there is a vestigial south transept with a vestry in the angle between it and the chancel. A later choir vestry was added at the western end of the south wall.
Description of Archaeology and History
The foundation stone was laid on St. Peter's Day 1876 and the church was completed in 1880 to designs by C.E. Davis, whose work seems to have been limited to this area of the country (including, for example, the restoration of the chancel of Langridge church in 1872 and the chancel of St. Saviour, Bath, 1882). He also made a small addition to the Pump Room in 1889. The estimated cost of St. Peter's church, Twerton, was £3,050.
Exterior Description
This church is a large building in the Early English style, but of a plan and type which no mediaeval architect would have thought of producing. It is simply a large room with a shallow apse at the east end for a chancel and a small south transept. The west end is gabled and has three lancet windows under a dog-toothed linked hood, of equal height at the top but the central one less long than the others to allow for a gablet above the west doorway (which is shafted with a moulded arch). A band of foliate carving half-way up the windows is formed by the return of a foliate cornice from the side walls. The north and south walls are divided by steeply shouldered buttresses into seven bays (only five visible on the south because of the transept) each with a large rather vacuous lancet light with dogtooth round the hood. In the eastern bay on the north side is a secondary doorway much like that in the west wall. A bay to the east of this has no window but thickened wall, for no very apparent reason. The apse has five faces, each with a lancet like those in the nave but undivided by buttresses. The south transept has a lancet on each side of a central buttress in the south wall.
Building Fabric and Features
Stained Glass
c.1874
Only in the middle light of the apse, The Transfiguration, by Clayton and Bell.
Interior
Interior Description
The walls are of exposed stone and the window reveals are plain. The chancel arch, which is very broad, is carried on colonettes with foliate capitals and the roof is boarded to form an immense barrel vault. The apse roof is also boarded. The floor is paved with red and black tiles in the alleys and with red, black, buff and green tiles in the sanctuary. The pews stand on timber boards. The impression of the interior has not been improved, though it may have been slightly lightened, by the painting of the walls cream up to sill level. The corbels of the roof are of an unusual profile.
Fixtures and fittings
Altar
c.1930
The altar is very long, of oak.
Pulpit
c.1870
The pulpit is a massive stone drum (as it needs to be to have any effect in the spacious interior) standing on a large cluster of colonettes with foliate capitals. Round the body are carved roundels in interlace with various symbols including Alpha and Omega, IHS the Crucifixion of St. Peter and so forth. There is a foliate cornice and a band of nailhead at the base.
Lectern
The lectern is a brass eagle.
Font (object)
The font is circular with pointed cusped blind arches, standing on two big octagonal steps ; the big cover in a Jacobethan style seems to be later.
Organ (object)
The organ was built by Vowles and rebuilt by Osmond in 1936; it is in two cases, one on each side of the chancel ; the action is electro-pneumatic and the console is of pine.
Rail
c.1920
The communion rails are of oak, with small plain four-centred arches making up arcading.
Churchyard
Grid reference: ST 738 647
Burial and War Grave Information
It is unknown whether the building is consecrated.
It is unknown whether the churchyard has been used for burial.
It is unknown whether the churchyard is used for burial.
It is unknown whether the churchyard has war graves.
National Heritage record for England designations
There are no records of National Heritage assets within the curtilage of this site.
Environment
Ancient, Veteran & Notable Trees
Caring for God's Acre is a conservation charity working to support groups and individuals to investigate, care for, and enjoy the wildlife and heritage treasures found within churchyards and other burial grounds. Look on their website for information and advice and please contact their staff directly. They can help you manage this churchyard for people and wildlife.
To learn more about all the species recorded against this church, go to the Burial Ground Portal within the NBN Atlas. You can check the spread of records through the years, discovering what has been recorded and when, plus what discoveries might remain to be uncovered.
There are no records of Ancient, Veteran or Notable Trees within the curtilage of this site.
Renewables
| Renewable | Installed |
|---|---|
| Solar PV Panels | No |
| Solar Thermal Panels | No |
| Biomass | No |
| Wind Turbine | No |
| Air Source Heat Pump | No |
| Ground Source Heat Pump | No |
| Ev Charging | No |
Species summary
There are no records of species within the curtilage of this site.
Caring for God's Acre is a conservation charity working to support groups and individuals to investigate, care for, and enjoy the wildlife and heritage treasures found within churchyards and other burial grounds. Look on their website for information and advice and please contact their staff directly. They can help you manage this churchyard for people and wildlife.
To learn more about all the species recorded against this church, go to the Burial Ground Portal within the NBN Atlas. You can check the spread of records through the years, discovering what has been recorded and when, plus what discoveries might remain to be uncovered.
'Seek advice' Species
More information on species and action to be taken upon discovery.
Caring for God's Acre is a conservation charity working to support groups and individuals to investigate, care for, and enjoy the wildlife and heritage treasures found within churchyards and other burial grounds. Look on their website for information and advice and please contact their staff directly. They can help you manage this churchyard for people and wildlife.
To learn more about all the species recorded against this church, go to the Burial Ground Portal within the NBN Atlas. You can check the spread of records through the years, discovering what has been recorded and when, plus what discoveries might remain to be uncovered.
Further information
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