Lowestoft: Suffolk: St Peter
Overview
Grid reference: TM 549 936
The church is in two distinct sections and styles; the nave having been built in 1832/3 and the east end in 1903. The first church was designed by John Brown of Norwich, and replaced an old chapel which was incorporated in the Town Hall.
Visiting and facilities
Building is closed for worship
Building
Ground Plan Description and Dimensions
Ground plan:
Aisleless nave with western porch, short chancel with a chapel on the north side, with organ loft over, and a sacristy and choir vestry on the south.
Description of Archaeology and History
The main body of the church was built in 1833 by John Brown of Norwich; the extensions to the chancel were made in 1903 by E.P. Warren.
The church is in two distinct sections and styles; the nave having been built in 1832/3 and the east end in 1903. The first church was designed by John Brown of Norwich, and replaced an old chapel which was incorporated in the Town Hall. This part of the church is constructed of white facing bricks, with brick buttresses and a tiled roof, while the newer part is of red brick with stone dressings and string-courses. Brown's work is unremarkable, and apart from the characteristically large and elaborate west porch, the building is a perfectly ordinary Commissioners preaching box in the Early English style, with large lancet windows, thin stepped buttresses, and no clerestory. At the beginning of the twentieth century it was decided to rebuild the whole church to a design by E.P. Warren.
Exterior Description
If the projected design had been carried out the church would have had a splendid long nave with a barrel roof, passage aisles and large windows, but funds were short, and only the east end of the church was reconstructed with a now chancel, vestries and chapel to the east of the original chancel arch. The resulting effect features a chancel that is a good deal taller than the nave. A good feature of the exterior is the east wall where the wide seven-light window of Perpendicular form, but with Decorated tracery, is set into the head of the wall under a broad brick relieving arch.
Building Fabric and Features
Stained Glass
Early 20th Century
Good early 20th century east window of Crucifixion with symbols of Evangelist below.
Interior
Interior Description
The interior of the building is as much of an architectural hybrid as the exterior. The nave has a very slightly canted plastered ceiling with raised ribs, the walls are whitened, and a gallery runs the full width of the building at the west end. The North and south galleries have been removed. The chancel arch was at one time steeply pointed, but was presumably altered to its present semi-circular form in 1903. Despite this widening the top of the east window is invisible from the nave. The centre of the east wall is slightly recessed; the top of the recessed section is filled with the east window, and the lower part with the altar and reredos. The chancel is roofed with a ribbed boarded barrel vault, white painted, and with stencil decoration.
Fixtures and fittings
Reredos
1904
In the form of a tryptych with painted low relief carving by Robert Anning Bell. The central panel shows the Crucifixion, while the two side panels show King David and a warrior Saint, perhaps St. George. In a small panel below the main tryptych is a painting of St. Paul saved from shipwreck. The reredos was presented to the church in 1904 as a memorial to Frederick Charlesworth.
Pulpit
A large octagonal wooden pulpit with linenfeld panelling and a moulded cornice. The pulpit has an octagonal tester.
Font (object)
A small octagonal stone font.
Pew (object)
The benches in the nave are of deal with heavy moulded and pierced ends.
Stall
Rail
Straightforward wooden rails.
Churchyard
Grid reference: TM 549 936
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
If you notice something incorrect or missing, please explain it in the form below and submit it to our team for review.