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In 1850, St Peters, Wickham Bishops found itself on the wrong side of the tracks. Literally.
With the arrival of the railway, villagers migrated eastwards.
The ancient church fell into disuse. Out of sight, it spiraled into decay.
The threat of demolition loomed...
#thread
With the arrival of the railway, villagers migrated eastwards.
The ancient church fell into disuse. Out of sight, it spiraled into decay.
The threat of demolition loomed...
#thread
St Peter’s is a knobbly 11th-century church of flint, puddingstone, septaria, and Roman tile and brick with islands of lime render.
But St Peter's was an important church!
It was used by the Bishops of London.
How could it succumb to such a fate?!
Was it lost cause?
(2/8)
But St Peter's was an important church!
It was used by the Bishops of London.
How could it succumb to such a fate?!
Was it lost cause?
(2/8)
Friends of Friendless Churches was only a couple of years old when we began our campaign to save St Peter's from the wrecking ball.
It took 11yrs to convince the authorities this church deserved better.
We never gave up.
It has become one of our greatest success stories.
(3/8)
It took 11yrs to convince the authorities this church deserved better.
We never gave up.
It has become one of our greatest success stories.
(3/8)
Our work to repair the church has taken many years. In fact, it’s still ongoing.
Re-roofing, re-flooring and re-glazing – and that’s just the beginning.
St Peter’s story doesn’t end there.
What a thrill it was, in 2007, to discover four different layers of wall-painting!
(4/8)
Re-roofing, re-flooring and re-glazing – and that’s just the beginning.
St Peter’s story doesn’t end there.
What a thrill it was, in 2007, to discover four different layers of wall-painting!
(4/8)
The earliest dates to the 13th century and imitates wall-hangings or tapestries. Each vertical panel comprises a geometric pattern with roundels and lozenges. The palette is simply red, white and pink, but these have been cleverly employed to create a sumptuous scheme.
(5/8)
(5/8)
On top of this eye-popping fictive hanging is the ubiquitous masonry pattern. It's meant to mimic finely jointed stonework, but the red lines wobble across the bumpy plaster.
The third scheme is from the 15th century and is an architectural drawing in outlined black.
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The third scheme is from the 15th century and is an architectural drawing in outlined black.
(6/8)
An important discovery was made in the fourth layer.
As work progressed on this layer of interlocking circles (monstrances?), conservators uncovered a date and initials.
In one place we see the date 1637 and letters I/J.S.and over the chancel window are the letters W.S.
(7/8)
As work progressed on this layer of interlocking circles (monstrances?), conservators uncovered a date and initials.
In one place we see the date 1637 and letters I/J.S.and over the chancel window are the letters W.S.
(7/8)
How much we could have lost if this building was destroyed, as intended, in the 1960s.
We want to continue to save places at risk - just like St Peter's. We can only do this with your support through membership or donations:
http://friendsoffriendlesschurches.org.uk/join-us/make-a-donation/
(8/8)
We want to continue to save places at risk - just like St Peter's. We can only do this with your support through membership or donations:
http://friendsoffriendlesschurches.org.uk/join-us/make-a-donation/
(8/8)
