| Summary : Church built in the late 13th century, but predominantly 14th and early 15th century in date, with some restoration in the 19th century. Built of regular coursed ironstone with moulded plinths, there is some rubble in the chancel. Most of the roofs are of lead, but the chancel roof is of plastic. The church consists of an aisled nave, chancel, west tower, south porch and north vestries |
More information : (SP 4989 4870) Church (1)
The church of St Peter and St Paul at Chipping Warden shows some
signs of being originally of Norman construction. There are
perpendicular alterations, though the dominant style is
decorated. There has been slight 19th c restoration. (2)
A Church of St. Peter and St. Paul
Coursed stone, string at nave cill level and below parapet,
plaint parapet with coping; nave and aisle roofs lead, chancel
slate.
The church is mainly Decorated but the chancel was originally
Norman, some built up Norman arches show on the internal walls,
altered Perpendicular.
The tower is late C14.
The arcades of the nave have 4 bays, the 5th bay is occupied by
the tower which has the aisles carried past it on either side.
These arcades have elaborate moulded piers and arches with
curved bosses at the junction of the hood moulds. The N. aisle
has three Decorated windows with interesting tracery and some
remains of old glass, the other glass is probably C.17, plain
leaded with wrot iron grilles with spear heads. The S. aisle has
a good Decorated E. window, Early English sedilia of 3 bays and
a piscina. The Perpendicular clerestory of the nave has large
3-light windows with flat arched heads and tracery. The roof is
of the same date.
The tall narrow tower arch has a C.17-18 gallery with the Royal
Arms below. The pews are C.17 of oak and the pulpit with sounding
board of the same date is probably a three- decker altered.
The chancel roof has some old timbers but has been restored C.19.
The E. window is a tall Perpendicular 3-light divided into
three vertically and traceried.
On the S. wall of the chancel the W. window is Early English
with plate tracery, the centre window is Perpendicular and the
E. is Decorated. Behind the altar is some cearly C.17 panelling,
on the N. wall is a cupboard dated 1627, the altar rails are
late C.17 turned balustrading.-
The altar table in the S. aisle is C.18, and at the W. end
of this aisle is the C.16-17 font and an old chest.
Both aisles have C.17 screens at the W. end, panelled with wrot
iron grills and cresting.
The tower has 4 stages, an ogee head W. door, diagonal buttresses,
battlemented parapet with large gargoyles in centre of E. and W.
sides below parapet string, and corner pinnacles.
In the churchyard are good C.18 headstones. (3)
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