Handsworth: St Peter
Overview
Grid reference: SP 46 897
The best view of the church is from the north-east, where the lack of the western part of the nave is not noticed and the tower over the chancel with its octagonal stair turret groups well with the sloping roof of the Lady Chapel below, the cross-gabled transepts to the right and apsidal chancel to the left. The tower is square, low with two-light windows under square heads to the north east and south. The parapet begins above a stone moulding running horizontally round all four walls and with waterspouts at each corner.
Visiting and facilities
Building is closed for worship
Building
Ground Plan Description and Dimensions
Ground plan:
Two aisled bays of the nave towards the west with a north-west porch have never been built, but the present church consists of two bays of the nave with clerestory and cross-gabled double transepts; chancel with eastern apse and tower over the western part, north chapel with square cast end and south vestry with apse. The plan is almost identical to that of St. James, Aston, which also supports the attribution to Chatwin.
Description of Archaeology and History
By J.A. Chatwin, consecrated in 1907. Thus it is one of Chatwin's last works since he died in this year. The Victoria County History attributes the church to F.B. Osborn, but a plan signed by Chatwin in the parish chest proves this to be erroneous.
Exterior Description
The best view of the church is from the north-east, where the lack of the western part of the nave is not noticed and the tower over the chancel with its octagonal stair turret groups well with the sloping roof of the Lady Chapel below, the cross-gabled transepts to the right and apsidal chancel to the left. The tower is square, low with two-light windows under square heads to the north east and south. The parapet begins above a stone moulding running horizontally round all four walls and with waterspouts at each corner. The battlements of the parapet slope gently upwards on the east and west faces following the line of the low-pitched roof which they conceal, and each central merlon is capped by a stone foliated cross. The three-sided apsidal chancel has a buttress at each corner and two-light windows with tracery above the ogee-headed main lights in each of the three sides and in the adjoining north and south walls. On the south side is the east window of the vestry, two pairs of ogee-headed lights under a hipped roof. The transpets on the north and south sides are symmetrical each with two gables containing three light windows and angle buttresses at each corner. Entrance to the church is through a small porch in the angle between the north-east transept and the Lady Chapel. The nave clerestory has a pair of two-light windows to each bay and again, as at St. James, Aston, the transept gables have to stop short so that they do not cut into the windows. The "temporary" west wall of the nave is blind save for a single light in the middle of the nave gable, and the aisle walls end with irregular courses of brick while the nave arcade is propped up by brick buttrosses.
Building Fabric and Features
Stained Glass
1927
Only two windows, on each side of the sanctuary, four lights altogether representing St. George , St. Paul, St. Peter and St. John, signed by Miss E.M. Whitford, and Miss A.N. Yoxall, then students of art at the Birmingham School of Art
Interior
Interior Description
The interior of the church is somewhat shapeless, not only because of the lack of half the nave but also because of the depth of the cross-gabled aisles, so that the effect is of a series of small spaces linked by arches rather than one large space articulated by them. As at Aston the interior walls are faced with grey brick banded with red and the nave piers and chancel arch are of stone. The piers are square, formed by a continuation to the floor of the roll-moulded inner order of the arches, while the outor order, also roll-moulded, terminates at small moulded corbels. The arches are outlined by a stone hoodmould. The clerestory windows stand within plain brick reveals and the nave roof has tie beams with kingposts and arch braces marking the divisions of the bays, while the transepts are roofed with scissor-braced roofs at right-angles to the body of the nave.
The chancel is divided from the nave by the stone chancel arch on triple colonettes carried by corbels which terminate in stone balls, and the floor, three steps above the nave, is edged by a low stone wall. That part of the chancel which houses the choirstalls is the base of the tower; because of the chapel on the north and vestries on the south it has no windows whatsoever and is thus rather dark. The floor is paved with red quarries. A big arch opens to the chapel on the north and another to a passage aisle off which doors lead to the vestries to the south. The sanctuary is housed in the apse to the east, the central window now blocked by a tall reredos. The paved with squares of black and white marble and the roof is panelled in timber to form a vault is decorated with stencilled patterns which dato from the same time as the reredos and the windows which flank it. This area is divided from the choinstalls by another stone arch similar to the chancel arch but with mouldings which continue to the floor without terminating at corbels. The roof between the two arches is the underside of the tower floor, but closely spaced arch braces give the impression of a pointed vault.
Fixtures and fittings
Altar
The altar is of oak with a panelled front.
Reredos
The reredos to the high altar consists of a large framed panel of canvas painted in tempera representing The Crucifixion painted in c. 1930 by the Misses A.N. Yoxall and E. Whitford.
Reredos
1948
The reredos to the Lady Chapel altar is of the Supper at Emmaus, in oils on canvas, by John I. Baker, 1948.
Pulpit
c.1907
The pulpit is of soft wood, semi-octagonal with pierced panels.
Font (object)
The font is stone, octagonal with an octagonal stem and square moulded base; the panels of the bowl are square with quatrefoils alternantely blank and with foliate crosses or the sacred monogram.
Churchyard
Grid reference: SP 46 897
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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