St Peter's Church is a

parish church A parish church (or parochial church) in Christianity is the Church (building), 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 com ...

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, South Yorkshire, River Don at . It has a ward population (Conisbrou ...

, in

South Yorkshire South Yorkshire is a Ceremonial counties of England, ceremonial county in the Yorkshire and the Humber region of England. It borders North Yorkshire and West Yorkshire to the north, the East Riding of Yorkshire to the north-east, Lincolnshire ...

, 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 sev ...

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. 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 at the behest of William the Conqueror. The manuscript was originally known by ...

as having a single priest. Tomb chest - geograph

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 Warenn ...

, who died in 1148, as it depicts battles and themes from ''

The Song of Roland The ''Song of Roland'' () is an 11th-century based on the deeds of the Frankish military leader Roland at the Battle of Roncevaux Pass in AD 778, during the reign of the Emperor Charlemagne. It is the oldest surviving major work of French li ...

''. 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. Lutherans and Anglicans usually refer to the basin, calling it a pisci ...

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 A clerestory ( ; , also clearstory, clearstorey, or overstorey; from Old French ''cler estor'') is a high section of wall that contains windows above eye-level. Its purpose is to admit light, fresh air, or both. Historically, a ''clerestory' ...

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 is a structure of particular architectural or historic interest deserving of special protection. Such buildings are placed on one of the four statutory lists maintained by Historic England in England, Hi ...

References

External links

* {{DEFAULTSORT:Conisbrough, St Peter Churches with elements of Anglo-Saxon work 12th-century church buildings in England Church of England church buildings in South Yorkshire

St Peter Saint Peter (born Shimon Bar Yonah; 1 BC – AD 64/68), also known as Peter the Apostle, Simon Peter, Simeon, Simon, or Cephas, was one of the Twelve Apostles of Jesus and one of the first leaders of the early Christian Church. He appears repe ...

Grade I listed churches in South Yorkshire

See also

References

External links