The new church of St Peter and St Paul’s was built in the late 19th century and was instigated by Canon Walter Marcon. Marcon decided to build the church halfway between Edgefield Green and Edgefield Street. The Marchioness of Lothian gave the site. Bishop Pelham was discouraging, doubting if a faculty would be forthcoming. However the Rector organised saving cards for the parishioners and eventually, after a great struggle to raise the money, the work began.
He asked John Sedding, a well known Victorian architect, whom he had known in his curate days, to design the building. The main part of the old church was demolished, and much of the material was carefully marked and then incorporated in the new building. The work took 2 years and the final cost was £2,106.
The new church dedicated to St Peter and St Paul was consecrated by John Thomas Pelham, Bishop of Norwich on July 14th 1884.
The tower was added later and was completed in 1909. There is just one bell which is dated 1632. The Clock was added in 1921 as a war memorial.
The west window has net-like tracery of around 1330 and was originally the east window in the old church. The rood screen is a combination of original and new, and the parclose screen between the lady chapel and the nave has painted panels showing the donor, William Harstong, with his wife, seven sons and six daughters. It is inscribed “Orate p’aiabz Will Harstong ut uxoris ejus Anno Domini MCCCCCXXIIIIII'. This means “pray for the souls of William Harstong and his wife, AD 1526".
The organ was bought second-hand and was thought to have been made for a private house. It was built by Thomas Jones of Pentonville Road, London between 1840-50.
I think one of the most striking features of the church is the modern stained glass windows. The south aisle window, marks the centenary of the dedication of the church (in 1984) on its present site. Marcon is depicted riding his bike in a roundel at the bottom, and the church's twin patrons sit enthroned at the top. The most striking feature is the plough followed by seagulls at the bottom, which is remarkably like a work of Escher, the ploughshares apparently turning to birds as they move. The greater part of the design is taken up with the new church appearing to rise out of the ghost of the old one, with the symbols of the eucharist at the heart of it all.
In 2000, to mark the Millennium, an enthusiastic committee was formed. This consisted of representatives from each of the many village organisations. Within a remarkably short time, £10,000 was raised for another window depicting our Patron Saints. It was designed by John Hayward.
If anybody would like to expand to this series please do, I would just ask that you could let Sadexploration know first so he can keep track of the Church numbers and names to avoid duplication
To view the church micro stats page, please click here
There is a large church car park – see waypoint. Please take time to look at the fantastic modern stained glass windows inside the church.
You are looking for a small click lock camouflaged container. There is room for small geocoins and trackables. Inside the cache you will find the coordinates for the bonus cache. Please make sure you make a note of them.
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