"The Church comprises a nave and chancel only, with a good square tower of flint-work: it is of Norman construction, but evinces a total neglect of architectural purity in its later embellishments. The tower, which contains three bells, opens with a fine arch into the nave, over which is laid a good oak roof. The door to the rood-stairs, a broken piscina and sedilia, are remnants of papistical observances, happily gone by.
There are a few old floor-stones without legends, but no modern memorials, in the interior. Against the north wall of the chancel is the lower part of a sculptured altartomb, which, probably, covers the remains of one of the Tasburghs, though their burialplace was in a north aisle or chantry; which, falling into decay, has been recently pulled down. John Tasburgh, Esq., by his last will, dated 1473, desires to be buried in the chapel of our Lady Mary Virgin, on the north side of the church of St. Peter, before the image of our Lady. He gave the "glasses" of a window, at the west end of the steeple: a table of alabaster for the said chapel; and further wills "that William Rust have 3 acres of land, called Hillys land, and the hows thereon builded: and after the decease of the said William, I will that the foreseyd hows go to poor folks to dwell in without end; and the land to go to his heirs to repair the same hows." Margery Tasburgh, his widow, by her last will and testament, dated February 16th, 1484, leaves her body to be buried in the chapel of the blessed Virgin Mary, in the parish church of St. Peter, near the body of John Tasburgh, her late husband.
In the year 1819, while the writer was visiting this parish, collecting the materials which form the matter of the present notice, a person of gentlemanly address drove up to St. Peter's Hall, tenanted by the late Mr. Alden, the then churchwarden, inquiring if the church contained any brass effigies, as he was travelling through the country collecting such records of ancient families, with a view to their cleaning and restoration, promising to return them shortly to their original places. St. Peter's church afforded nothing to add to his collection, having been already stripped by some earlier iconoclast. The writer remembers that the applicant's gig-box was half full of brass effigies, which it is vain to hope ever found again their respective matrices. The observation is simply recorded to expose a system of plunder once recklessly pursued, and to warn all churchwardens to repulse applications of a like nature.
Thomas Tubbing, Rector of St. Peter's, by his last will, proved May 29th, 1504, desires to be buried in the chancel of his church.
The registers of this parish commence in 1678.
This parish participates in the Smith's charity, mentioned in St. Margaret Ilketshall, page 165: the sum received is generally from £ 6 to £10 per annum, which is distributed among poor persons."
SOURCE - (
visit link)