St Peter's Church, Conisbrough on:
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St Peter's Church is a 
In the 12th century, aisles were added, and the chancel arch and south door also date from this period, as does a tomb chest in the south aisle. Rita Wood argues that the tomb is for 
The church is a
St Peter's Church is a parish church
A parish church (or parochial church) in Christianity is the church which acts as the religious centre of a parish. In many parts of the world, especially in rural areas, the parish church may play a significant role in community activities, ...
in Conisbrough
Conisbrough () is a town within the City of Doncaster, in South Yorkshire, England. It is roughly midway between Doncaster and Rotherham, and is built alongside the River Don at . It has a ward population (Conisbrough and Denaby) of 14,333.
...
, in South Yorkshire
South Yorkshire is a ceremonial and metropolitan county in the Yorkshire and Humber Region of England. The county has four council areas which are the cities of Doncaster and Sheffield as well as the boroughs of Barnsley and Rotherham.
In N ...
, in England.
The core of the church is believed to be 8th-century, based on similarities with Northumbrian churches known to date from this period. If this date is accurate, it is the oldest building in South Yorkshire. Historian David Hey
David G. Hey (18 July 1938 – 14 February 2016) was an English historian, and was an authority on surnames and the local history of Yorkshire. Hey was the president of the British Association for Local History, and was a published author of seve ...
argues that it was a minster church, forming the centre of a large, early parish, covering all or much of the 11th-century Fee of Conisbrough.David Hey, ''Medieval South Yorkshire'' From this early period survives much of the stonework of the tower and nave, including some windows, most of which were later blocked. Part of a 10th-century cross shaft has been discovered, and the church is recorded in the Domesday Book
Domesday Book () – the Middle English spelling of "Doomsday Book" – is a manuscript record of the "Great Survey" of much of England and parts of Wales completed in 1086 by order of King William I, known as William the Conqueror. The manusc ...
as having a single priest.
In the 12th century, aisles were added, and the chancel arch and south door also date from this period, as does a tomb chest in the south aisle. Rita Wood argues that the tomb is for William de Warenne, 3rd Earl of Surrey
William de Warenne, 3rd Earl of Surrey (11196 January 1148) was an Anglo-Norman nobleman, member of the House of Warenne, who fought in England during the Anarchy and generally remained loyal to King Stephen.Elisabeth van Houts, 'The Warenne Vie ...
, who died in 1148, as it depicts battles and themes from ''The Song of Roland
''The Song of Roland'' (french: La Chanson de Roland) is an 11th-century ''chanson de geste'' based on the Frankish military leader Roland at the Battle of Roncevaux Pass in 778 AD, during the reign of the Carolingian king Charlemagne. It is t ...
''. The piscina
A piscina is a shallow basin placed near the altar of a church, or else in the vestry or sacristy, used for washing the communion vessels. The sacrarium is the drain itself. Anglicans usually refer to the basin, calling it a piscina. For Roman ...
and a cross slab in the north aisle are 13th-century. The church was next remodelled in the 14th century, from which time the present south aisle dates. In the 15th century, the tower was refaced, and a south porch and clerestory
In architecture, a clerestory ( ; , also clearstory, clearstorey, or overstorey) is a high section of wall that contains windows above eye level. Its purpose is to admit light, fresh air, or both.
Historically, ''clerestory'' denoted an upper l ...
added. Many of the windows also date from this time. The north aisle was rebuilt in 1866, and there was a general restoration, followed by another later in the century, and in the 20th century, the porch was restored.
The church is a grade I listed building
In the United Kingdom, a listed building or listed structure is one that has been placed on one of the four statutory lists maintained by Historic England in England, Historic Environment Scotland in Scotland, in Wales, and the Northern Irel ...
.
See also
*Grade I listed buildings in South Yorkshire
There are 62 Grade I listed buildings in South Yorkshire, England. In the United Kingdom, the term listed building refers to a building or other structure officially designated as being of special architectural, historical or cultural signific ...
*Listed buildings in Conisbrough and Denaby
Conisbrough is a ward and Denaby is a civil parish in the metropolitan borough of Doncaster, South Yorkshire, England. The ward and parish contain 18 listed buildings that are recorded in the National Heritage List for England. Of these, two ...
References
External links
* {{coord, 53.4830, -1.2297, type:landmark_region:GB, display=title Churches with elements of Anglo-Saxon work 12th-century church buildings in England Church of England church buildings in South Yorkshire Conisbrough Grade I listed churches in South Yorkshire