St Peter

The present church building dates from 1200. It is an excellent example of the Early English Decorated style of architecture, and is larger than expected for a village of this size. The fine arcades separating the nave from its north and south aisles belong to the first period. The original structure was enhanced by a perfect late 13th century chancel which still retains its decorated Gothic window (but with more modern glass). In the 14th century the north and south aisles were extended to feature two side chapels, and the arcades became four bay.

The present tower was added in the early 15th century but retains the original door. The bells are significant: four date from 1552 but have all been recast at different times. In 1641 a fifth bell was added and a new treble in 1775 brought the ring to six. The church has many fine windows, by John Hardman, Burlison and Grylls, Geoffrey Webb, and the latest, the Millennium window in the north aisle, by Stewart Bowman. There is a wide range of other interesting features: brasses, carvings, monuments, tombs and fittings, which record the stages of development clearly and are well maintained. Of particular note are the tub font and two mediaeval chests, two mediaeval stone coffins, the 12th century tomb of a knight in armour, the piscina, triple sedilia and tomb recess in the chancel, mediaeval encaustic tiles, a 16th century table tomb, the octagonal Jacobean pulpit, the Blackall family mausoleum with a fine baroque monument, a Lady Chapel with remnants of a mediaeval reredos, a 16th century ‘tilting helm’ and armoured glove, and a fine silk altar dossal by Geoffrey Webb dating from about 1930.

In the mid 19th century, in the early days of the Oxford Movement, St Peter’s was chosen as the subject of the very first volume published by the Oxford Society for Promoting the Study of Gothic Architecture as an excellent example to be copied. In the historic churchyard there are several 18th century listed monuments: two chest tombs, and a large number of headstones made by the Cooper family of Great Haseley.