Weight: 678 lbs Diameter: 31.5" Bell 1 of 1
Founded by John Taylor & Co 1913
Dove Bell ID: 56827 Tower ID: 21682 - View Tower Listed: No Canons: Removed Cracked: No
Little Oakley: St Peter
Overview
Grid reference: SP 891 855
The small medieval church of St. Peter is an attractive landmark with its sandy-grey rubble walls and its dark Collyweston slated chancel roof. From the south it looks an unusual structure, the gabled chancel roof standing higher than the nave but as the same stone has been used for all parts the building has a unity. A string-course below cill level runs all-round the church draining it together. The Perpendicular tower, with shallow, clasping buttresses, is an austere structure. It rises in four stages above the plinth created by the string course.
Visiting and facilities
Building is closed for worship
Building
Ground Plan Description and Dimensions
Ground plan:
Aisled nave; chancel; west tower; south porch.
Footprint of Church buildings: 273 m²
Description of Archaeology and History
13th century chancel; nave with 13th, 14th and 15th century work; 15th century tower. The church was restored in 1867-9 at the expense of the Duke of Buccleuch. At this time the chancel was rebuilt, and the church was partly re-roofed and re-seated.
Exterior Description
The small medieval church of St. Peter is an attractive landmark with its sandy-grey rubble walls and its dark Collyweston slated chancel roof. From the south it looks an unusual structure, the gabled chancel roof standing higher than the nave but as the same stone has been used for all parts the building has a unity. A string-course below cill level runs all round the church draining it together. The Perpendicular tower, with shallow, clasping buttresses, is an austere structure. It rises in four stages above the plinth created by the string course. In the west side is a plain, pointed doorway. Above it in the second stage is a cinquefoiled, two-light window beneath a three-centred arch. The third stage has just two piercings: an off-centre slit in the south side; and in the east side, above the nave roof, a small window. In the belfry stage, the louvred openings are tall and split by a transom. Each side has two trefoiled lights with quatrefoil tracery in the head. Within the embattled parapet is a low pyramidal cap.
The nave and aisles have many windows which, although also Perpendicular in style, off-set the impression of severity created by the tower. Each clerestory has three trefoiled two-light windows with square heads. They come immediately below the plain parapet which conceals the almost flat, lead-covered roof. At the east corner of the south side is a small conical capped chimney - a curious later addition to a medieval building. Beneath the clerestory windows the aisles have gently sloping roofs, again almost concealed by the plain parapets. The gabled porch with corner buttresses is a solid structure at the western end of the south aisle. That too has a Parapet to the east of the arched doorway, a scratch dial can be seen and a date, now only faintly incised, but which might read 1786. In each of the west and east sides of the porch is a small trefoiled window and above a gargoyle.
The fenestration of the south aisle is as varied as that of the chancel is strange. To the east of the porch is a comparatively large late Perpendicular three-light window with square hood moulding that terminates in grinning label heads. The crooked smile on their faces is repeated on other external label stops. The west window has two ogee lights with an inverted trefoil in the head. The hood moulding with label stops is square. But at the east end, the window is three light with flamboyant mouchette tracery in the head, beneath an equilateral arch with hood moulding that has the same smiling label-stop heads.
The north aisle has windows all of uniform style. The north wall and east wall both contain two trefoiled lights within a square hood moulding; while the west wall has a single trefoiled window. The label stop faces on this side have some sour expressions, particularly by the north doorway, where the faces have sunken eyes and turned-down mouths. The faces by the east window are more cheerful. Both aisles have diagonal buttresses.
The chancel has a gabled roof, quite steeply pitched with Colyweston slates. The east wall has three stepped lancets, and a small trefoil set high in the gable. To the north of the chancel is the gabled 19th century vestry which has two lancets on its north side. It is the south wall of the chancel that has the curious arrangement of windows. That at the eastern end has two cinquefoiled lights with a sexfoil in the head. This window is above the string course, as is the small lancet in the middle of the wall. But the third window at the west drops below the course. It too is a lancet, but under the thick transom are two narrow pointed trefoil lights. This part would seem to have been incorporated at a much later date.
Building Fabric and Features
Stained Glass
The east window has three lights, the central one containing the Crucifixion with Mary and St. John the Evangelist standing at the foot of the cross. The lancet to the left has three female figures; and the one to the right has three men, two are robed and the other, a soldier, is dressed in mail. The colours are predominantly red and blue.
Stained Glass
1882
In the south chancel wall, the central lancet has a pale, pensive Christ talking to two apostles, and underneath, the inscription "Where are the Nine". The colours are a pleasing mixture of red, blue, mauve, gold and green. By Ward Hughes of London.
Stained Glass
The north window of the chancel contains St. Peter holding book and key.
Stained Glass
The east window of the south aisle, a memorialto John Lucas Sutton, d.1870, has been well-composed. The northern light contains two women on a red.grisaille backgroundwith a tree behind them. In the central light, Christ stands among ferns, a tree behind him.
Interior
Interior Description
The arcades, arches and window dressings are all of a whitish stone that is in many places discoloured by water. The nave is loftier than would appear from without. Its roof is a shallowly pitched tie-beam construction. Four wall posts each side rest on solid corbels, their features carved with great skill and humour; some of the faces being full of human character and others simply grotesque. Well below the level of the corbels, the three bay arcades show marks of construction at two different periods. The north would be early 14th century. It has moulded arches and capitals that spring from quatrefoil piers. The south arcade is simpler and plainer in its mouldings, and of earlier, 13th century date. The double chamfered arches rest on thicker and more solid quatrefoil piers that have fewer mouldings. Both arcades have characterful label stop faces.
The west tower arch is much taller than the nave arcades. A drop arch springs from two slender columns set into the walls. The chancel arch is lower and wider, and has the moulded chamferings of the north arcade. Above it can be seen traces of a wall painting, thought to depict the Annunciation. A solid stone pulpit of 19th century origin lies to the north-west of the arch. There are a number of other 19th century additions and improvements in the chancel: for example the fine wooden archbraced roof with half angel corbels, although it could well be a replica of the original ceiling.
At eye level in the chancel the east stepped lancets are striking. The lights are linked with stilted, moulded arches that rise from slim columns with stiff leaf capitals. To the north and within the sanctuary is a grand Doric columned monument, intriguing as there are no inscriptions.
The south wall of the chancel is quite bare apart from the windows and a small plain piscina. The south aisle also has a piscina, but with a trefoil head. It is set into the south wall at the east end. The other main feature of the south aisle, except for the glass, is a stone slab with an incised cross let into the floor.
Fixtures and fittings
Altar
Plain wooden table.
Rail
With wrought iron balusters.
Lectern
19th Century
The lectern has a turned step. It is 19th century and made of wood.
Pulpit
19th Century
The pulpit is a solid stone construction which probably also came with the 19th century restoration. On the front panel is a carving of good quality in high relief of Christ the Good Shepherd.
Font (object)
The font is of stone, plain and tub-shaped. It is perhaps of early Norman date.
Bells
Churchyard
Grid reference: SP 891 855
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
Quinquennial Inspections
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