Heritage Gateway

Cambridgeshire HER

If you have any comments or new information about this record, please email us.

CHER Number:	04550
Type of record:	Building
Name:	Saint Peter and Saint Paul's Church, Alconbury

Summary - not yet available

Grid Reference:	TL 184 761
Parish:	Alconbury, Huntingdonshire, Cambridgeshire

Monument Type(s):

CHURCH (Medieval to Modern - 1066 AD to 2050 AD)

Associated Finds:

UNIDENTIFIED OBJECT (Medieval - 1066 AD to 1539 AD)
CHEST (Post Medieval - 1540 AD to 1900 AD)
INSCRIBED OBJECT (Post Medieval - 1540 AD to 1900 AD)
TABLE (Post Medieval - 1540 AD to 1900 AD)
DISH (17th century - 1601 AD to 1700 AD)
FLAGON (17th century - 1601 AD to 1700 AD)

Protected Status:

Listed Building (I) 1330459: Church of Ss Peter and Paul

Full description

1. The E angles of the original, aisleless nave survive in the W buttresses of the chancel. During C14 the arcades of the nave were rebuilt (c.1330), at this point the N aisle, clerestory spire and S porch were added. Late C15 the chancel and aisles were reroofed and the walls, particularly those of the chancel, were heightened. Glass in spandrels of clerestory windows, fragments C14, C15. Locker in chancel in E Wall, three, probably all C13. C13 painting in chancel, on splays of windows, traces of masonry lines, etc, on splayed head of blocked doorway on S side, conventional foliage pattern. Bracket, in chancel, on N wall. Possibly C15 font but entirely recut. Two Piscinas, C13 in S aisle on S wall, C14 in N aisle on S wall. Pulpit mostly mod, but incorporates C15 buttresses in pairs at angles. C14 recess in S wall of S aisle, probably a tomb recess. A late C17 pewter alms dish and pewter flagon (1638) also present.

2. Not mentioned in Domesday survey but C12 stones in the chancel walls indicate the presence of a stone church on the site during the C12. There were originally only five bells but one more was added in C19 (1876) when several of the others were also recast, only one C17 (1673) bell, made by Thomas Norris, remains as originally cast. Early C17 Communion table supported on Doric columns connected by small arches. Early C17 chest in tower. In nave a grey marble slab with inset for a brass of a man and wife with an inscription plate (C16). Church re-pewed in 1842.

3. The chancel and steeple are C13; the windows have lancets or Y-tracery. There was an S doorway now blocked up but traces still visible. Nave arcades are probably C13 but later than the tower. Communion plate with cup and Paten cover of 1634-5.

4. The building was restored in the C19 (1887) where the lower part of the W tower was rebuilt by Ewan Christian. Patroned by the Segrave and Pecke families during C14. Parish held by Merton Priory in Surrey. The church clock a quarter chimer by Sainsbury (1878).

6. 1899 - 6 bells with inscriptions. Formerly 5 bells with three broken ones recast in 1876 and an extra treble added.

<1> RCHM, 1926, An Inventory of the Historical Monuments in Huntingdonshire, 7 - 10(illus) (Bibliographic reference). SCB12619.

<2> Page, W, Proby, G. and Inskip Ladds, S. (eds), 1936, The Victoria County History of Huntingdonshire. Volume 3, 8 - 10 (illus) (Bibliographic reference). SCB14992.

<3> Pevsner, N., 1968, The Buildings of England. Bedfordshire, Huntingdonshire and Peterborough, 204 - 205 (Bibliographic reference). SCB11224.

<4> Hicks, C., 1997, Cambridgeshire Churches, p. 71, 182, 191 (Bibliographic reference). SCB19513.

<5> 1983, DOE Resurvey Parishes of Alconbury, Alconbury Weston etc, p. 3 (Unpublished document). SCB5445.

<6> Owen, T.M.N, 1899, The Church Bells of Huntingdonshire (Bibliographic reference). SCB38980.

Sources and further reading