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St Peter's Church is an active
Anglican
Anglicanism is a Western Christian tradition that has developed from the practices, liturgy, and identity of the Church of England following the English Reformation, in the context of the Protestant Reformation in Europe. It is one of th ...
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
Walpole St Peter,
Norfolk
Norfolk () is a ceremonial and non-metropolitan county in East Anglia in England. It borders Lincolnshire to the north-west, Cambridgeshire to the west and south-west, and Suffolk to the south. Its northern and eastern boundaries are the No ...
, England. One of the largest churches in the county, it is known as "the Cathedral of the Fens". It is in the
Diocese of Ely. The largely
Perpendicular
In elementary geometry, two geometric objects are perpendicular if they intersect at a right angle (90 degrees or π/2 radians). The condition of perpendicularity may be represented graphically using the ''perpendicular symbol'', ⟂. It can ...
building is
Grade 1 listed
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 ...
, and is often regarded as one of England's finest parish churches.
History
The oldest section of the church is its tower, which dates from the 13th century. By the 15th century a church, 160 feet long, was added. The windows are in Perpendicular style. Some benches date from the 15th century. A carved poor box is dated 1639. A chandelier dates from 1701. Victorian restoration was restricted largely to the chancel.
[
St Peter's was used as the parish church of the fictional village of Fenchurch St Paul in the 1973 television dramatisation of Dorothy L Sayers's novel '']The Nine Tailors
''The Nine Tailors'' is a 1934 mystery novel by the British writer Dorothy L. Sayers, her ninth featuring Lord Peter Wimsey. The story is set in the Lincolnshire Fens, and revolves around a group of bell-ringers at the local parish church. The b ...
'', starring Ian Carmichael
Ian Gillett Carmichael, OBE (18 June 1920 – 5 February 2010) was an English actor who worked prolifically on stage, screen and radio in a career spanning 70 years. He found prominence in the films of the Boulting brothers, including ' ...
as Lord Peter Wimsey
Lord Peter Death Bredon Wimsey (later 17th Duke of Denver) is the fictional protagonist in a series of detective novels and short stories by Dorothy L. Sayers (and their continuation by Jill Paton Walsh). A dilettante who solves mysteries fo ...
.
Reception
St Peter’s is known as “The Cathedral of the Fens, due to its size and renown”. It is said to be a favourite of Prince Charles, and John Betjeman
Sir John Betjeman (; 28 August 190619 May 1984) was an English poet, writer, and broadcaster. He was Poet Laureate from 1972 until his death. He was a founding member of The Victorian Society and a passionate defender of Victorian architecture, ...
described it as "the finest of all".[The Nation's Favourite Churches, Andrew Barr]
See also
* St Andrew's Church, Walpole
References
External links
Official church website
{{DEFAULTSORT:Walpole, St Andrew's Church
Church of England church buildings in Norfolk
Grade I listed churches in Norfolk