Weight: 2288 lbs Diameter: 49.06" Bell 1 of 10
Founded by John Kebyll
Dove Bell ID: 6540 Tower ID: 16386 - View Tower Listed: No Canons: Removed Cracked: No
Sudbury: St Peter
Overview
Grid reference: TL 874 413
St. Peter's is a prominent and architecturally important feature of the Market Square of Sudbury. The western aspect, facing the Square, is particularly notable on account of the proportions of the tower and the bringing forward of the aisles to its western face. The building as it now stands is chiefly late 15th century in date — the tower, for example, is known to date from c.1460-85 — but the church is of much earlier foundation. It was not founded as a parish church, however, but as a chapel-of-ease to St. Gregory and the earliest known reference to it seems to be in a Deed dated between 1147 and 1183.
Visiting and facilities
Building is closed for worship
Building
Ground Plan Description and Dimensions
Ground plan:
Nave, chancel, north and south aisles extending to the western face of the tower, north and south chancel chapels (i.e. in effect, a continuation of the nave aisles), and a south porch with a parvise above. Below the north chancel chapel is the sacristy.
Description of Archaeology and History
The building as it now stands is chiefly late 15th century in date — the tower, for example, is known to date from c.1460-85 — but the church is of much earlier foundation. It was not founded as a parish church, however, but as a chapel-of-ease to St. Gregory and the earliest known reference to it seems to be in a Deed dated between 1147 and 1183. The west wall of the tower incorporates some stones of Norman date. A former attractive feature of the tower was the copper covered wooden spirelet of 1810, but this became unsafe and was removed in 1968.
Exterior Description
St. Peter's is a prominent and architecturally important feature of the Market Square of Sudbury. The western aspect, facing the Square, is particularly notable on account of the proportions of the tower and the bringing forward of the aisles to its western face. The second storey of the tower, above the west door, contains a large traceried window which is balanced by those of the north and south aisles. At its west end the north aisle is curiously canted; this, and the very marked disalignment of nave and chancel, are thought to have been the consequence of abutting secular buildings in the Middle Ages - which meant that any enlargement or additions to the church had to respect them. The principal materials of the church are flint and rubble, with quoins and other decorative features of dressed stone. The tower is of four stages, with angle buttresses and an embattled parapet; nave and aisles, though riot the chancel, are also embattled and both nave and chancel are clerestoried.
Interior
Interior Description
Inside, the lofty nave consists of five rather narrow bays, the piers of the arcade having four attached shafts and four small hollows in the diagonals. The particular interest of the interior, apart from the remarkable inclination southwards of the chancel, lies in the 19th century decoration by Bodley, the roofs and the furnishings generally. The nave roof was apparently rebuilt in 1685 to replace one which had been much mutilated in 1643 by William Dowsing: it is an extremely fine feature of the church, and an elaborate church roof of this date and scale is a comparative rarity. The construction has arch braced cambered tie—beams with groined coving. At the east end of the nave, high above the chancel arch, is a handsome canopy of honour which formerly surmounted the Rood. The colouring, and no doubt the restoration of the canopy, were part of the work undertaken by G.F. Bodley in 1898. At the same time Bodley redecorated the chancel walls and roof and designed the reredos of carved and painted wood.
Fixtures and fittings
Font (object)
Early 15th Century
Traceried font bowl, on modern stem.
Reredos
1898
By G.F. Bodley. Of carved and painted wood.
Bells
Weight: 578 lbs Diameter: 27" Bell 2 of 10
Founded by Whitechapel Bell Foundry 1978
Dove Bell ID: 41416 Tower ID: 16386 - View Tower Listed: No Canons: Removed Cracked: No
Weight: 597 lbs Diameter: 28" Bell 3 of 10
Founded by Whitechapel Bell Foundry 1978
Dove Bell ID: 41417 Tower ID: 16386 - View Tower Listed: No Canons: Removed Cracked: No
Weight: 558 lbs Diameter: 29" Bell 4 of 10
Founded by John Warner & Sons 1874
Dove Bell ID: 41418 Tower ID: 16386 - View Tower Listed: No Canons: Removed Cracked: No
Weight: 584 lbs Diameter: 30.25" Bell 5 of 10
Founded by John Warner & Sons 1874
Dove Bell ID: 41419 Tower ID: 16386 - View Tower Listed: No Canons: Removed Cracked: No
Weight: 652 lbs Diameter: 31" Bell 6 of 10
Founded by John Darbie 1662
Dove Bell ID: 41420 Tower ID: 16386 - View Tower Listed: No Canons: Removed Cracked: No
Weight: 751 lbs Diameter: 33.63" Bell 7 of 10
Founded by James Edbury 1605
Dove Bell ID: 41421 Tower ID: 16386 - View Tower Listed: No Canons: Removed Cracked: No
Weight: 996 lbs Diameter: 36.31" Bell 8 of 10
Founded by John Kebyll
Dove Bell ID: 41422 Tower ID: 16386 - View Tower Listed: No Canons: Removed Cracked: No
Weight: 1369 lbs Diameter: 40.56" Bell 9 of 10
Founded by John Kebyll
Dove Bell ID: 41423 Tower ID: 16386 - View Tower Listed: No Canons: Removed Cracked: No
Weight: 1621 lbs Diameter: 43.25" Bell 10 of 10
Founded by Miles I Graye 1641
Dove Bell ID: 41424 Tower ID: 16386 - View Tower Listed: No Canons: Removed Cracked: No
Churchyard
Grid reference: TL 874 413
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 | N/A |
| Solar Thermal Panels | N/A |
| Biomass | N/A |
| Wind Turbine | N/A |
| Air Source Heat Pump | N/A |
| Ground Source Heat Pump | N/A |
| Ev Charging | N/A |
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
Submit a change
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