Church of St Peter, Great Berkhamsted
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The Parish Church of St Peter, Great Berkhamsted, is a
Church of England The Church of England (C of E) is the established Christian church in England and the mother church of the international Anglican Communion. It traces its history to the Christian church recorded as existing in the Roman province of Britain ...
,
Grade II* 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 ...
church in the town of
Berkhamsted Berkhamsted ( ) is a historic market town in Hertfordshire, England, in the Bulbourne valley, north-west of London. The town is a civil parish with a town council within the borough of Dacorum which is based in the neighbouring large new town ...
, Hertfordshire, in the United Kingdom. It stands on the main High Street of the town and is recognisable by its clock tower. The building is
medieval In the history of Europe, the Middle Ages or medieval period lasted approximately from the late 5th to the late 15th centuries, similar to the Post-classical, post-classical period of World history (field), global history. It began with t ...
in origin, the earliest part dating from c.1200, and the architecture spans at least five architectural periods, mostly 14th and 15th centuries. The church was altered greatly during the
Victorian Victorian or Victorians may refer to: 19th century * Victorian era, British history during Queen Victoria's 19th-century reign ** Victorian architecture ** Victorian house ** Victorian decorative arts ** Victorian fashion ** Victorian literature ...
era, most notably undergoing a
restoration Restoration is the act of restoring something to its original state and may refer to: * Conservation and restoration of cultural heritage ** Audio restoration ** Film restoration ** Image restoration ** Textile restoration * Restoration ecology ...
by William Butterfield. It is one of the largest churches in Hertfordshire. Because of its proximity to Berkhamsted Castle, St Peter's has had a long association with
Royalty Royalty may refer to: * Any individual monarch, such as a king, queen, emperor, empress, etc. * Royal family, the immediate family of a king or queen regnant, and sometimes his or her extended family * Royalty payment for use of such things as int ...
, with the reigning monarch acting as patron to Berkhamsted rectors for several centuries. Many members of the congregation also worked in important positions for the Royal household. The church has counted among its worshippers such notable figures as the poet
William Cowper William Cowper ( ; 26 November 1731 – 25 April 1800) was an English poet and Anglican hymnwriter. One of the most popular poets of his time, Cowper changed the direction of 18th-century nature poetry by writing of everyday life and scen ...
and
John Incent John Incent ( – 1545) was an English clergyman in the early 16th century, during the early years of the English Reformation. Originating from the town of Berkhamsted in Hertfordshire, he studied at the University of Cambridge and later at All ...
, who went on to become Dean of St Paul's Cathedral 1540–1545. The church today has lost its direct royal ties and now functions as the main parish church of the town of Berkhamsted. The feast of St Peter is celebrated annually with the Petertide fair.


History

It is not known exactly when the first church was built on the site of St Peter's, but it is not the oldest church in the area; the church of St Mary in
Northchurch Northchurch is a village and civil parish in the Bulbourne valley in the county of Hertfordshire in the United Kingdom. It lies between the towns of Berkhamsted and Tring. Situated on the Roman road Akeman Street, a major Roman villa dating from ...
, about north-west of St Peter's, is estimated to be
Saxon The Saxons ( la, Saxones, german: Sachsen, ang, Seaxan, osx, Sahson, nds, Sassen, nl, Saksen) were a group of Germanic * * * * peoples whose name was given in the early Middle Ages to a large country (Old Saxony, la, Saxonia) near the Nor ...
in origin and was mentioned 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 ...
(1086). The
advowson Advowson () or patronage is the right in English law of a patron (avowee) to present to the diocesan bishop (or in some cases the ordinary if not the same person) a nominee for appointment to a vacant ecclesiastical benefice or church living, ...
of a church of Berkhamsted – probably that of St Mary's – along with the advowson of the chapel of the castle, was granted to the monastery of
Grestein Abbey Grestain Abbey (or ''Grestein'' Abbey, french: Abbaye Notre-Dame de Grestain) was an 11th-Century Benedictine monastery near the town of Fatouville-Grestain, which is located in the modern-day Eure ''département'' of Upper Normandy, France. The ...
in Normandy sometime between 1087 and 1104 by
William, Count of Mortain William of Mortain (bef. 1084–aft. 1140) was Count of Mortain and the 3rd Earl of Cornwall. Life William was the son of Robert, Count of Mortain, the half-brother of William I of England and Maud de Montgomery, daughter of Roger de Montgomerie, ...
. It was about this time that the ''Parish of Great Berkhampstead'' was created. St Mary's church was originally known as ''Berkhampstead St Mary'' and it is thought that it was the original main church in the area until it was superseded by the larger St Peter's after the Norman Conquest, when the focus of political and ecclesiastical power moved south to the area around Berkhamsted Castle. By the 14th century, the town had acquired the name of ''le Northcherche'' or Northchurch to distinguish it from St Peter's.


Foundation

The date of foundation of a church in Berkhamsted town is uncertain; a chapel certainly existed within the walls of Berkhamsted Castle from the 11th century, rebuilt around 1250 by Richard of Cornwall. The possibility exists of another town chapel dedicated to St James; this is supported by the fact that for many centuries, the Berkhamsted town fair was held on the feast day of
St James Saint James or St. James may refer to: People Saints *James, brother of Jesus (died 62 or 69), also known as James the Just *James the Great (died 44), Apostle, also known as James, son of Zebedee, or Saint James the Greater **Saint James Matamoro ...
rather than at
Petertide Petertide (also known as St Peter's Tide) refers to the Sunday nearest to St Peter's Day on 29 June and to the period around that day. In Anglicanism, Petertide is the major one of two traditional periods for the ordination of new priests (the ot ...
, suggesting an ancient celebration of the patron saint.Birtchnell, p 29 It is thought that this chapel of St James stood on the present site of the town Post Office. The foundation date of St Peter's is also uncertain, but historians assume it to be around 1222, the year that Robert de Tuardo, the first known rector, was instituted by the Bishop of Lincoln,
Hugh of Wells Hugh of Wells (died 7 February 1235) was a medieval Bishop of Lincoln. He began his career in the diocese of Bath, where he served two successive bishops, before joining royal service under King John of England. He served in the royal administr ...
. The ''Parish of Berkhampstead St Peter'' was originally part of the huge
Diocese of Lincoln The Diocese of Lincoln forms part of the Province of Canterbury in England. The present diocese covers the ceremonial county of Lincolnshire. History The diocese traces its roots in an unbroken line to the Pre-Reformation Diocese of Leices ...
( Archdeaconry of Huntingdon), until it was transferred in 1843 to Rochester (Archdeaconry of St Albans) and then again in 1877 to the newly formed Diocese of St Albans.Cobb, p114


Medieval St Peter's

A brass plaque can be seen inside the church today which lists all the rectors from the 13th century to the present day. The turnover of rectors was especially high in the 14th century, probably due to their lives being cut short by the
bubonic plague Bubonic plague is one of three types of plague caused by the plague bacterium (''Yersinia pestis''). One to seven days after exposure to the bacteria, flu-like symptoms develop. These symptoms include fever, headaches, and vomiting, as well a ...
; between 1369 and 1386, St Peter's had eight successive rectors, the shortest being Thomas Payne, whose tenure lasted only nine days.
John de Waltham John Waltham (or John de Waltham) was a priest and high-ranking government official in England in the 14th century. He held a number of ecclesiastical and civic positions during the reigns of King Edward III and Richard II, eventually rising to ...
was rector of St Peter's from 1379 along with a large number of other parishes, as was common at the time. He left after 16 months in office, and was later ordained Bishop of Salisbury in 1388. Waltham enjoyed an especially close relationship with King Richard II such that, after his death, Richard honoured him with a tomb in
Westminster Abbey Westminster Abbey, formally titled the Collegiate Church of Saint Peter at Westminster, is an historic, mainly Gothic church in the City of Westminster, London, England, just to the west of the Palace of Westminster. It is one of the United ...
in the Chapel of Edward the Confessor, the only person not of royal blood to be buried in the royal chapel.Birtchnell, p 34


16th and early 17th centuries

Brass memorials in the church commemorate Katherine and Robert Incent, two 16th-century parishioners. Robert was the secretary to Cicely, Duchess of York at Berkhamsted Castle. Their son, John Incent, was Dean of St Paul's Cathedral 1540–1545, and in 1541 he founded the Berkhamsted School. The Incent family house, which still stands on the High Street opposite the church, is today known as "Dean Incent's House". One rector noted for his long tenure was Rev. Thomas Newman, who was rector for over 40 years from 1598 to 1639. Newman served for a time as a Chief Burgess of Berkhamsted and mayor in 1631. According to parish records, Newman was the second husband of Bridget (Dryden) Marbury, who was mother of Anne Marbury Hutchinson by way of her first husband
Francis Marbury Francis Marbury (sometimes spelled Merbury) (1555–1611) was a Cambridge-educated English cleric, schoolmaster and playwright. He is best known for being the father of Anne Hutchinson, considered the most famous English woman in colonial Ame ...
. Despite being a staunch Anglican, by 1645 Newman fell into political disfavor by being barred from the rectory of St. Peter's by Act of Parliament for a payment delinquency.


The Civil War

Newman's successor, Rev John Napier, was instituted as rector of St Peter's in 1639 but ejected by
Parliament In modern politics, and history, a parliament is a legislative body of government. Generally, a modern parliament has three functions: Representation (politics), representing the Election#Suffrage, electorate, making laws, and overseeing ...
during the
English Civil War The English Civil War (1642–1651) was a series of civil wars and political machinations between Parliamentarians (" Roundheads") and Royalists led by Charles I ("Cavaliers"), mainly over the manner of England's governance and issues of re ...
and was replaced by a series of "intruder" priests installed by Parliament: George Phippon, William Harrison, David Bramley (or Bramble) and Richard Lee. After 18 years living in Buckinghamshire, Napier had his own restoration as rector of Great Berkhamsted in 1670 and remained in office until 1681. During his absence, Napier continued to record the baptisms of his own children in the Berkhamsted parish register, signing himself as rector. Although no battles were fought in the area during the Civil War, Berkhamsted lay on the lines of communication between London and
Aylesbury Aylesbury ( ) is the county town of Buckinghamshire, South East England. It is home to the Roald Dahl Children's Gallery, David Tugwell`s house on Watermead and the Waterside Theatre. It is in central Buckinghamshire, midway between High Wy ...
and
Royalist A royalist supports a particular monarch as head of state for a particular kingdom, or of a particular dynastic claim. In the abstract, this position is royalism. It is distinct from monarchism, which advocates a monarchical system of governme ...
forces sometimes passed through the parish and soldiers were billeted in local cottages. St Peter's Church was itself caught up in the conflict when, in 1648, it was requisitioned by
General Fairfax Thomas Fairfax, 3rd Lord Fairfax of Cameron (17 January 161212 November 1671), also known as Sir Thomas Fairfax, was an English politician, general and Parliamentary commander-in-chief during the English Civil War. An adept and talented command ...
as a
Military prison A military prison is a prison operated by a military. Military prisons are used variously to house prisoners of war, unlawful combatants, those whose freedom is deemed a national security risk by the military or national authorities, and members of ...
to hold captured soldiers from the
Siege of Colchester The siege of Colchester occurred in the summer of 1648 when the English Civil War reignited in several areas of Britain. Colchester found itself in the thick of the unrest when a Royalist army on its way through East Anglia to raise suppor ...
. Because the church was full of maimed, hungry soldiers, Fairfax ordered that the church windows be taken out. When the church was eventually returned to parish control, the vestry levied a special tax of twopence an acre on local landowners to pay for replacement windows.Birtchnell, p 101 Another long-standing rector was Napier's successor, Rev Robert Brabant, whose ministry also lasted over 40 years (1681 to 1722). He was also the vicar of
Hemel Hempstead Hemel Hempstead () is a town in the Dacorum district in Hertfordshire, England, northwest of London, which is part of the Greater London Urban Area. The population at the 2011 census was 97,500. Developed after the Second World War as a ne ...
and chaplain to Queen Anne. After the
Restoration of the English monarchy The Restoration of the Stuart monarchy in the kingdoms of England, Scotland and Ireland took place in 1660 when King Charles II returned from exile in continental Europe. The preceding period of the Protectorate and the civil wars came to be ...
in 1660, John Sayer, a member St Peter's congregation was appointed chief cook to King Charles II. Sayer was a wealthy man and lived in
Berkhamsted Place Berkhamsted Place was an English country house which was erected sometime around 1580 in Berkhamsted, Hertfordshire, England. It was built by Sir Edward Carey, the keeper of the Jewels to Queen Elizabeth I from stones removed from Berkhamsted Cas ...
and benefactor of the town. He was known to
Samuel Pepys Samuel Pepys (; 23 February 1633 – 26 May 1703) was an English diarist and naval administrator. He served as administrator of the Royal Navy and Member of Parliament and is most famous for the diary he kept for a decade. Pepys had no mariti ...
, who wrote of him in his Diary. In 1661, Pepys wrote ''"...I went with Captain Morrice at his desire into the King's Privy Kitchen to Mr. Sayres, the Master Cook, and there we had a good slice of beef or two to our breakfast, and from thence he took us into the wine cellar where, by my troth, we were very merry, and I drank too much wine, and all along had great and particular kindness from Mr. Sayres, but I drank so much wine that I was not fit for business."'' Upon his death in 1682, John Sayer left £1000 in his will for the construction of a row of
almshouse An almshouse (also known as a bede-house, poorhouse, or hospital) was charitable housing provided to people in a particular community, especially during the medieval era. They were often targeted at the poor of a locality, at those from certain ...
s on Berkhamsted High Street, containing twelve rooms for the habitation of six poor widows. The endowment also provided for a weekly allowance of two shillings and a fuel allowance for each widow. The almshouses, which are still in existence today, were completed in 1684 and bear an inscription on the front, "A gift of John Sayer, 1684". Sayer's elaborate marble tomb stands in the
Lady chapel A Lady chapel or lady chapel is a traditional British term for a chapel dedicated to "Our Lady", Mary, mother of Jesus, particularly those inside a cathedral or other large church. The chapels are also known as a Mary chapel or a Marian chapel, an ...
of St Peter's.Hastie, p.56


William Cowper

From 1722 to 1756, Rev John Cowper served as rector of St Peter's; he is noted because he was the father of the poet and
hymnodist A hymnwriter (or hymn writer, hymnist, hymnodist, hymnographer, etc.) is someone who writes the text, music, or both of hymns. In the Judeo-Christian tradition, the composition of hymns dates back to before the time of David, who composed many of ...
William Cowper William Cowper ( ; 26 November 1731 – 25 April 1800) was an English poet and Anglican hymnwriter. One of the most popular poets of his time, Cowper changed the direction of 18th-century nature poetry by writing of everyday life and scen ...
, who was born in Berkhamsted in 1731 and baptised in the church. William Cowper went on to write a number of hymns which became popular in the Evangelical movement and were included in Anglican hymn books such as the English Hymnal.


19th century

Charles de Guiffadière, who was rector from 1798 to 1810 and also served as vicar of
Stoke Newington Stoke Newington is an area occupying the north-west part of the London Borough of Hackney in north-east London, England. It is northeast of Charing Cross. The Manor of Stoke Newington gave its name to Stoke Newington the ancient parish. The ...
, was a reader to Queen Caroline and a popular figure of fun who featured in the humorous journal The Diary of Fanny Burney as the character "Mr Turbulent". In the 19th century, the Rev John Wolstenholme Cobb documented much of Berkhamsted's past when he wrote his ''History and Antiquities of Berkhamsted'' during his time as curate of St Peter's (1853–55). He then went on to become rector of the parish from 1871 to 1883. St Peter's has also counted among its congregation members of the Dorrien-Smith family who are commemorated by various memorials around the church. Augustus John Smith became the first Lord Proprietor of the Scilly Islands in 1834, and was succeeded by Dorrien-Smiths; George Dorrien was Governor of the Bank of England 1818–1820; and several members of the Dorrien-Smith family saw active service in the
Second Boer War The Second Boer War ( af, Tweede Vryheidsoorlog, , 11 October 189931 May 1902), also known as the Boer War, the Anglo–Boer War, or the South African War, was a conflict fought between the British Empire and the two Boer Republics (the Sout ...
of 1899–1902.


Royal patronage

From the installation of Robert de Tuardo, the rectors of the Church of St Peter, Great Berkhamsted were presented by the abbot of Grestein until 1381, when Peter de Burton was presented by King Richard II. This tradition of the reigning monarch acting as patron to each new rector continued more or less unbroken until the 18th century. The last reigning monarch to act in this role for Great Berkhamsted was Charles II in 1681, for the installation of Robert Brabant. At the installation of the next rector in 1722, John Cowper, the duty of patronage was taken on by
George George may refer to: People * George (given name) * George (surname) * George (singer), American-Canadian singer George Nozuka, known by the mononym George * George Washington, First President of the United States * George W. Bush, 43rd Presiden ...
,
Prince of Wales Prince of Wales ( cy, Tywysog Cymru, ; la, Princeps Cambriae/Walliae) is a title traditionally given to the heir apparent to the English and later British throne. Prior to the conquest by Edward I in the 13th century, it was used by the rulers ...
. From this time, rectors were presented by princes of Wales until Rev James Hutchinson (installed in 1851 with
Prince Albert Edward Edward VII (Albert Edward; 9 November 1841 – 6 May 1910) was King of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland and Emperor of India, from 22 January 1901 until his death in 1910. The second child and eldest son of Queen Victoria and ...
as patron). After the local Duchy of Cornwall estates were sold to the
Ashridge Ashridge is a country estate and stately home in Hertfordshire, England in the United Kingdom. It is situated in the Chiltern Hills, an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty, about north of Berkhamsted and north west of London. The estate com ...
Estate in 1862, rectors of Great Berkhamsted were presented by Earls of Brownlow; Hutchinson's successor, Rev John Wolstenholme Cobb, was presented by Earl Brownlow in 1871.


Architecture

The church is in a
cruciform Cruciform is a term for physical manifestations resembling a common cross or Christian cross. The label can be extended to architectural shapes, biology, art, and design. Cruciform architectural plan Christian churches are commonly described ...
layout, and measures from the west door to the east window and the width across the
transept A transept (with two semitransepts) is a transverse part of any building, which lies across the main body of the building. In cruciform churches, a transept is an area set crosswise to the nave in a cruciform ("cross-shaped") building withi ...
s is . The oldest part of the church is the
chancel In church architecture, the chancel is the space around the altar, including the choir and the sanctuary (sometimes called the presbytery), at the liturgical east end of a traditional Christian church building. It may terminate in an apse. Ove ...
which is dated at c.1200, the foundation of the church,Birtchnell, pp 30–32 and it is in the Early English style common in that period. The transepts, erected during the reign of
Edward II Edward II (25 April 1284 – 21 September 1327), also called Edward of Caernarfon, was King of England and Lord of Ireland from 1307 until he was deposed in January 1327. The fourth son of Edward I, Edward became the heir apparent to t ...
are from the Decorated Period.Cobb, p.53


Additions and alterations

The architecture of St Peter's belongs to no single period, but extends over about 350 years. Many additions have made to the church over the centuries and subsequent Victorian restorations have changed the fabric of the church substantially.


Expansion 1230–1546

In the 13th century, construction progressed rapidly westwards, with the nave, transepts and crossing being added in the first few years after the construction of the chancel. In 1230, north and south aisles were added to the nave and the north transept was extended on the eastern side; this extension was later used partly as a vestry, and today serves as the Lady Chapel. On the south side of the Chancel, the chapel of
St Catherine St. Catherine or St. Katherine may refer to a number of List of saints named Catherine, saints named Catherine, or: Geography Canada *St. Catharines, a city in Ontario *St. Catharines (electoral district), federal *St. Catharines (provincial ele ...
was added in 1320, and in 1350 the irregularly angled St John's Chantry was built onto the south aisle for worship by the boys and masters of Berkhamsted School. In 1450 a
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 ...
was added to the nave, raising its height, and a large timber pillar added to the middle of the St John Chantry. Expansion of the church culminated in 1545-6 when the tower was raised to its current height of , and the church reached its present size.


Decay

Over the years the fabric of the building decayed. On one occasion in the 1700s, the boys and masters had a narrow escape when, moments after they had left the chantry to go into the main body of the church, the main beam gave way and the ceiling collapsed. The event was recorded by one Nathaniel Salmon, who also reported that the disaster had uncovered a set of painted figures on the pillars, possibly medieval in origin, of the Eleven Apostles and
Saint George and the Dragon In a legend, Saint Georgea soldier venerated in Christianitydefeats a dragon. The story goes that the dragon originally extorted tribute from villagers. When they ran out of livestock and trinkets for the dragon, they started giving up a human tr ...
. Salmon noted that they had "but lately come to light, having, by the zeal of the last generation, been whited over", in reference to the efforts of
Puritan The Puritans were English Protestants in the 16th and 17th centuries who sought to purify the Church of England of Catholic Church, Roman Catholic practices, maintaining that the Church of England had not been fully reformed and should become m ...
iconoclasts of the English Civil War during the previous century.


Wyattville's restoration

The structure of the church continued to evolve; doors were added and blocked up, fittings were installed and moved around and monuments resited and removed. In the 19th century there were major restorations of St Peter's church; the first in 1820, led by Jeffry Wyattville, architect of Ashridge House, was controversial and has been criticised for the destruction of many original features of the building. During the works, churchwardens were involved in removing ancient monuments from the church, and Wyattville covered the outer walls with
stucco Stucco or render is a construction material made of aggregates, a binder, and water. Stucco is applied wet and hardens to a very dense solid. It is used as a decorative coating for walls and ceilings, exterior walls, and as a sculptural and a ...
. The
font In metal typesetting, a font is a particular size, weight and style of a typeface. Each font is a matched set of type, with a piece (a "sort") for each glyph. A typeface consists of a range of such fonts that shared an overall design. In mod ...
was moved from the west end to the south porch, and the door was walled up, the Torrington tomb was moved from the nave into the transept, and many old inscriptions were obliterated. The peal of six bells was recast into eight, and a gallery which stood between the tower arches was removed and a new gallery erected at the west end.Cobb, p.56


Butterfield's restoration

In 1870–71 another restoration programme was carried out by William Butterfield, a Gothic Revival architect whose works included churches such as All Saints, Margaret Street in London as well as an array of church restorations. Butterfield's restoration of St Peter's Church is more positively assessed, although his work also involved the removal of some original features, including the obliteration of the paintings on the pillars. The most substantial structural changes involved raising both the roof and the floor of the chancel, raising the roof of the south transept to its original pitch, removing the vestry, incorporating the south porch into the south aisle and removing the door, re-flooring the nave, installing new oak benches and replacing Wyattville's gallery. Butterfield also installed clear windows in the clerestory, allowing more light to enter the nave. He extended the aisles by knocking down the dividing walls of two chambers at the west end; one of these chambers, in the south-west corner of the nave, was used to house the town
fire engine A fire engine (also known in some places as a fire truck or fire lorry) is a road vehicle (usually a truck) that functions as a firefighting apparatus. The primary purposes of a fire engine include transporting firefighters and water to an i ...
. A door to the right of the great west door had "Engine House" painted above it on the outside; Butterfield blocked up this door. The flint from these alterations was kept in storage and was later used in the construction of Sunnyside Parish Church in 1909. On the exterior of the church, Butterfield removed Wyattville's crumbling plaster and re-faced the church walls with
flint Flint, occasionally flintstone, is a sedimentary cryptocrystalline form of the mineral quartz, categorized as the variety of chert that occurs in chalk or marly limestone. Flint was widely used historically to make stone tools and start fir ...
flushwork In architecture, flushwork is decorative masonry work which combines on the same flat plane flint and ashlar stone. If the stone projects from a flat flint wall then the term is proudwork, as the stone stands "proud" rather than being "flush" wi ...
.Hastie, pp 100–102


20th-century re-ordering

Between 1956 and 1960 St Peter's underwent further restoration in which the tower and nave were re-roofed. St Catherine's Chapel and the nave were refurbished and a large mural of the Ascension by Burrows which covered the wall over the tower arch was painted over. The church was also substantially re-ordered, and the
high altar An altar is a table or platform for the presentation of religious offerings, for sacrifices, or for other ritualistic purposes. Altars are found at shrines, temples, churches, and other places of worship. They are used particularly in paganis ...
and sanctuary area brought forward under the tower crossing. The wooden 15th-century
rood screen The rood screen (also choir screen, chancel screen, or jubé) is a common feature in late medieval church architecture. It is typically an ornate partition between the chancel and nave, of more or less open tracery constructed of wood, stone, or ...
which separated the nave from the crossing was painted and gilded in a medieval style, and a set of twelve carved figures which had been added in the early 19th century were also painted and mounted higher up the screen. The screen was backed with oak and re-mounted on the back of the new sanctuary area to form a
reredos A reredos ( , , ) is a large altarpiece, a screen, or decoration placed behind the altar in a church. It often includes religious images. The term ''reredos'' may also be used for similar structures, if elaborate, in secular architecture, for ex ...
behind the altar, also serving as a dividing wall with the old chancel area which was converted into a vestry area.Cobb, p.132


Nave

The late
Gothic Revival Gothic Revival (also referred to as Victorian Gothic, neo-Gothic, or Gothick) is an architectural movement that began in the late 1740s in England. The movement gained momentum and expanded in the first half of the 19th century, as increasingly ...
pulpit A pulpit is a raised stand for preachers in a Christian church. The origin of the word is the Latin ''pulpitum'' (platform or staging). The traditional pulpit is raised well above the surrounding floor for audibility and visibility, access ...
dates from 1910 and is decorated with figures of angels, carved by
Harry Hems Harry Hems (12 June 1842 – 5 January 1916) was an English architectural and ecclesiastical sculptor who was particularly inspired by Gothic architecture and a practitioner of Gothic Revival. He founded and ran a large workshop in Exeter, Devon ...
. In the north aisle stands the Parish Chest, a finely carved 17th century wooden chest which contained parish documents. By the corner of the north transept stands the marble tomb of Sir John Cornwallis, a member of the Council of King Edward VI.


Sanctuary

The high altar, located under the tower crossing since 1960, is on a raised white marble floor. The gilded reredos, a reworking of the 15th-century rood screen presents the figures of twelve saints. To the left of the sanctuary is the long brass plaque listing the rectors of Great Berkhamsted from 1222 to the present day. Brass memorials on the walls commemorate Rev JW Cobb and his wife.


St John's Chantry

This chantry chapel was used for worship by the boys and masters of Berkhamsted School until the 19th century, when the school built its own chapel, and was physically separated from the nave by a dividing wall. The chantry is now used for the choir stalls and organ. The present organ was built by Peter Collins or
Redbourne Redbourne is a village and civil parish in the North Lincolnshire district of Lincolnshire, England. The village is situated near the A15 road, and south from Brigg. According to the 2001 Census Redbourne had a population of 386, rising slig ...
in 1986, and replaces an earlier instrument built by Walker. Some of the Walker pipework was incorporated into the modern instrument. The organ has two manuals, the brightly coloured casing is in English oak and decorations are in sycamore wood. The chantry contains
monumental brass A monumental brass is a type of engraved sepulchral memorial, which in the 13th century began to partially take the place of three-dimensional monuments and effigies carved in stone or wood. Made of hard latten or sheet brass, let into the paveme ...
es commemorating Robert and Katherine Incent, the parents of John Incent. Another brass commemorates John Raven, squire to the Edward, the Black Prince at Berkhamsted Castle.


Lady Chapel

The
Lady Chapel A Lady chapel or lady chapel is a traditional British term for a chapel dedicated to "Our Lady", Mary, mother of Jesus, particularly those inside a cathedral or other large church. The chapels are also known as a Mary chapel or a Marian chapel, an ...
forms a bright, spacious part of the church dating from the 13th century. It is an extension of the north transept. The interior carving around the windows and arches features ball-flower motif of the Decorated Period. The present windows and the windows of the north transept are good examples of curvilinear tracery, typical of the first half of the 14th century, although the glass is from a later period. Traces of the original window arches are still visible. The Lady Chapel also contains some notable memorials, including the marble tomb of John Sayer, inscribed with the date 1682. Next to the old chancel (now the wooden steps into the vestry) lies a stone tomb which is thought to be that of Henry of Berkhamsted and his wife; the tomb has lost its inscription and the identity of the persons interred within has been in dispute for many years. The tomb has two stone supine effigies on top with hands together in prayer, Henry wearing
medieval armour Body armor, also known as body armour, personal armor or armour, or a suit or coat of armor, is protective clothing designed to absorb or deflect physical attacks. Historically used to protect military personnel, today it is also used by variou ...
. Henry was Constable to the Black Prince at Berkhamsted Castle in the mid-14th century.


St Catherine's Chapel

St Catherine's Chapel, dedicated to Catherine of Alexandria, lies to the south of the old chancel adjoining the south transept. Dating from around 1320, it contains two recessed medieval tombs in the south wall, one of which contains a tomb slab decorated with a carved floriated cross. The 16th-century wall monuments commemorate Waterhouse family. The chapel was restored around 1900 and the alabaster reredos – a copy of high altar screen in Winchester Cathedral – and the stained glass windows date from this period.


Chancel

The old chancel is used today as a vestry for the choir and clergy. The area still contains fixtures from its days as the sanctuary before the church was re-ordered in 1960, including a large mosaic
reredos A reredos ( , , ) is a large altarpiece, a screen, or decoration placed behind the altar in a church. It often includes religious images. The term ''reredos'' may also be used for similar structures, if elaborate, in secular architecture, for ex ...
by Alfred Hoare Powell with a painted
crucifixion Crucifixion is a method of capital punishment in which the victim is tied or nailed to a large wooden cross or beam and left to hang until eventual death from exhaustion and asphyxiation. It was used as a punishment by the Persians, Carthagin ...
scene by Burrows. There also several memorials to past worshippers, including one to Ann Cowper, wife of the Rector John Cowper and mother of William Cowper; valedictory lines by the poet in tribute to his mother are engraved on the memorial, ending "These lines, though weak, are as herself sincere".


Tower

The clock tower was finished in 1546 and contains a peal of eight bells with a combined weight of . The bells were re-cast in 1837 from the bells dating from 1553 with additional metal by Mears and Stainbrook of Whitechapel. At the same time, a new clock was installed.


Windows

The windows in St Peter's include some lancets surviving from the 14th century, along with much notable stained glass from renowned Victorian glass makers Heaton and Butler, Clayton and Bell,
Charles Eamer Kempe Charles Eamer Kempe (29 June 1837 – 29 April 1907) was a British Victorian era designer and manufacturer of stained glass. His studios produced over 4,000 windows and also designs for altars and altar frontals, furniture and furnishings, lichg ...
,
Nathaniel Westlake Nathaniel Hubert John Westlake FSA (1833–1921) was a 19th-century British artist specialising in stained glass. Career Nathaniel Westlake was born in Romsey in 1833. He began to design for the firm of Lavers & Barraud, Ecclesiastical Design ...
and
James Powell and Sons The firm of James Powell and Sons, also known as Whitefriars Glass, were London-based English glassmakers, leadlighters and stained glass window manufacturers. As ''Whitefriars Glass'', the company existed from the 17th century, but became well ...
.Cobb, p.130 *West window: Perpendicular style tracery, thought to date from the reign of
James I James I may refer to: People *James I of Aragon (1208–1276) *James I of Sicily or James II of Aragon (1267–1327) *James I, Count of La Marche (1319–1362), Count of Ponthieu *James I, Count of Urgell (1321–1347) *James I of Cyprus (1334–13 ...
, although the glass was replaced after General Faifrax's intrusion during the Civil War. The present stained glass dates from 1866, designed by Heaton and Butler, for which they were awarded a bronze medal at the Paris Exhibition of 1867. *East Window: stained glass in memory of William Cowper, Clayton and Bell, 1872. *Chancel Windows: date from c.1420, featuring
coats of arms A coat of arms is a heraldic visual design on an escutcheon (i.e., shield), surcoat, or tabard (the latter two being outer garments). The coat of arms on an escutcheon forms the central element of the full heraldic achievement, which in its wh ...
of the See of Canterbury ''
impaling Impalement, as a method of torture and execution, is the penetration of a human by an object such as a stake, pole, spear, or hook, often by the complete or partial perforation of the torso. It was particularly used in response to "crimes aga ...
'' Chichele, royal arms of France '' quartered'' with England. *St John's Chantry windows: arms of
Richard Plantagenet, 3rd Duke of York Richard of York, 3rd Duke of York (21 September 1411 – 30 December 1460), also named Richard Plantagenet, was a leading English magnate and claimant to the throne during the Wars of the Roses. He was a member of the ruling House of Plantage ...
, 15th century; other windows are 1865–69 by Heaton and Butler. *St Catherine's Chapel: one of the windows is signed by TF Curtis of Curtis, Ward and Hughes; windows date from the 1900 restoration work on the chapel. *North transept windows: Dorrien Memorial, Powell, 1852. *South transept windows: Curtis Memorial (1872) and Mary window (1874), both Clayton and Bell. *North aisle windows: the windows in the north aisle were 14th-century in origin, and the tracery typifies the transitional style between the Decorated and Perpendicular styles.Cobb, p.53 They now contain Victorian stained glass, including the ubiquitous stained glass copy by Heaton & Butler of
William Holman Hunt William Holman Hunt (2 April 1827 – 7 September 1910) was an English painter and one of the founders of the Pre-Raphaelite Brotherhood. His paintings were notable for their great attention to detail, vivid colour, and elaborate symbolism. ...
's painting ''The Light of the World'' which now hangs in
St Paul's Cathedral St Paul's Cathedral is an Anglican cathedral in London and is the seat of the Bishop of London. The cathedral serves as the mother church of the Diocese of London. It is on Ludgate Hill at the highest point of the City of London and is a Grad ...
, London. A three-light window by Westlake, installed in 1885 in memory of the Berkhamsted sheep dip manufacturer William Cooper, depicts Christ enthroned surrounded by saints and martyrs, including
Edward the Confessor Edward the Confessor ; la, Eduardus Confessor , ; ( 1003 – 5 January 1066) was one of the last Anglo-Saxon English kings. Usually considered the last king of the House of Wessex, he ruled from 1042 to 1066. Edward was the son of Æth ...
and Hugh of Lincoln accompanied by his pet swan. A window by
Alexander Gibbs Alexander Gibbs & Co. was a British stained glass studio founded in 1858 by Alexander Gibbs when he split off from the family firm founded by his father Isaac Alexander Gibbs in 1848. The studio continued until 1915. It was first located at 38 ...
was installed in 1872 at the west end of the aisle in memory of Rev F. Bullock who drowned in that year; this was replaced in 2000 with a window by
David Peace David Peace (born 1967) is an English writer. Best known for his UK-set novels Red Riding Quartet (1999–2002), '' GB84'' (2004), ''The Damned Utd'' (2006), and '' Red or Dead'' (2013), Peace was named one of the Best of Young British Novel ...
and Sally Scott marking the Christian Millennium and the bicentenary of William Cowper's death. The clear glass is etched with quotes from Cowper's poetry, images of Berkhamsted and scenes of nature.


Churchyard and cemetery

The graveyard around St Peter's Church contains many old gravestones, most of which were laid flat in the late 19th century, and it now serves as a green. One remaining memorial is a large stone cross at the north-east corner of the church, the Smith-Dorrien Monument, which was erected in 1909 in memory of Mary Ann Smith-Dorrien, wife of Robert Algernon Smith-Dorrien of Haresfoot, a
Colonel Colonel (abbreviated as Col., Col or COL) is a senior military officer rank used in many countries. It is also used in some police forces and paramilitary organizations. In the 17th, 18th and 19th centuries, a colonel was typically in charge of ...
in the
Hertfordshire Militia The Hertfordshire Militia was an auxiliary military force in Hertfordshire in South East England. From their formal organisation as Trained Bands in 1558 and their service in the English Civil War, the Militia of Hertfordshire served during times ...
, and mother of Horace Smith-Dorrien. St Peter's churchyard was originally used for town burials, mostly on the north side of the church, but like many burial grounds in England at the time, it had become overcrowded by the mid-19th century. Some burials were made on the south side of the church, but the widening of the High Street limited the amount of space available. A new detached cemetery was opened in 1842 behind the Elizabethan manor, Egerton House (now the site of the Rex Cinema), on an acre of land donated by
Charlotte Catherine Anne, Countess of Bridgewater {{Infobox noble , name = Charlotte Egerton , title = Countess of Bridgewater , image = File:Charlotte Catherine Anne, Countess of Bridgewater.jpg , caption = 1805 engraving of Charlotte Egerton by ...
and widow of John Egerton, 7th Earl of Bridgewater. A foundation stone commemorates the donation of the Countess and the
consecration Consecration is the solemn dedication to a special purpose or service. The word ''consecration'' literally means "association with the sacred". Persons, places, or things can be consecrated, and the term is used in various ways by different grou ...
of the burial ground by John Kaye, Bishop of Lincoln, on 11 October 1842. The cemetery, situated between Three Close Lane and the old St Peter's rectory and known variously as Three Close Lane Cemetery or Rectory Lane Cemetery, was extended in 1921. There are several
Commonwealth War Graves The Commonwealth War Graves Commission (CWGC) is an intergovernmental organisation of six independent member states whose principal function is to mark, record and maintain the graves and places of commemoration of Commonwealth of Nations mi ...
in the cemetery from both
World War I World War I (28 July 1914 11 November 1918), often abbreviated as WWI, was one of the deadliest global conflicts in history. Belligerents included much of Europe, the Russian Empire, the United States, and the Ottoman Empire, with fightin ...
and
World War II World War II or the Second World War, often abbreviated as WWII or WW2, was a world war that lasted from 1939 to 1945. It involved the vast majority of the world's countries—including all of the great powers—forming two opposin ...
, and among the notable burials is the grave of General
Horace Smith-Dorrien General Sir Horace Lockwood Smith-Dorrien, (26 May 1858 – 12 August 1930) was a British Army General. One of the few British survivors of the Battle of Isandlwana as a young officer, he also distinguished himself in the Second Boer War. Smith ...
, a veteran of the Second Boer War and World War I and former Governor of Gibraltar. In 2014 the Rectory Lane Cemetery Project was founded to transform the Cemetery, creating a new community space with an enhanced wildlife domain and restored heritage features. The volunteer group, linked to the Friends of St Peters, secured funding from the Heritage Lottery Fund and the Big Lottery Fund for this scheme in 2017, enabling them to begin a 3-year project restore a neglected area and conserve local heritage for future generations. By the late 1940s the Rectory Lane Cemetery was filling up and a new civic cemetery was opened at nearby Kingshill.


The church today

The Parish of St Peter, Great Berkhamsted continues today as an active
Church of England The Church of England (C of E) is the established Christian church in England and the mother church of the international Anglican Communion. It traces its history to the Christian church recorded as existing in the Roman province of Britain ...
parish church. The church holds regular services of Christian worship, and the church choir sings on Sundays during the
Eucharist The Eucharist (; from Greek , , ), also known as Holy Communion and the Lord's Supper, is a Christian rite that is considered a sacrament in most churches, and as an ordinance in others. According to the New Testament, the rite was instit ...
and in a monthly service of
choral evensong Evensong is a church service traditionally held near sunset focused on singing psalms and other biblical canticles. In origin, it is identical to the canonical hour of vespers. Old English speakers translated the Latin word as , which became ...
. The church is also frequently used as a venue for classical music concerts performed by local music groups. The church publishes a monthly magazine, ''Your Berkhamsted'' (known until 2010 as ''The Berkhamsted Review''), which has been in existence since 1874. St Peter's is affiliated with two
Church of England school A Christian school is a school run on Christian principles or by a Christian organization. The nature of Christian schools varies enormously from country to country, according to the religious, educational, and political cultures. In some count ...
s in Berkhamsted, Victoria Infant School and the Thomas Coram School.


References


Bibliography

* * * * *


External links


St Peter's websiteSt Peter, Berkhamsted
(Church of England listing)

(Find a Church website) {{DEFAULTSORT:Great Berkhamsted, Saint Peter 13th-century church buildings in England Churches completed in 1546 Towers completed in the 16th century Buildings and structures in Berkhamsted Church of England church buildings in Hertfordshire 1222 establishments in England Grade II* listed churches in Hertfordshire English Gothic architecture in Hertfordshire Churchyards in England Commonwealth War Graves Commission cemeteries in England Basilicas (Church of England) Churches completed in 1230 Churches completed in 1350