St
Peters
St Peters
church, located on Marefair - Black Lion hill, was built around
1160 on the site of a Saxon church. During the build, some of the
Saxon carvings were incorporated into this church. Simon de St.
Liz' grandson, Simon de Senlis |||, is thought to have built this
church. It is most noted for boasting some of the finest Norman
architecture in England. The foundations of A Great Hall was
unearthed next to St. Peter's Church in Marefair. This is reputed
to be the home of a prince and was originally constructed of timber
around 750 AD. Around 70 years later it was rebuilt from stone and
made much larger. It was perhaps the first municipal building in
town.
Sir George Gilbert Scott restored the whole church in 1850,
reconstructing most of the clerestory but leaving the Norman
carvings well alone. St Peter's boasts a 14th century font, a 12th
century grave slab with astonishly clear relief carving and some
fine Victorian stained glass.
Unfortunately, the church is redundant but still has permission to
hold certain services a year as well as carry out the occassional
baptism, marriage and burial. It is still cared for and maintained
by the new owners, the Churches Conservation Trust and a group
called the Friends of St. Peters.
Update:........After 10 years of closure it has officially been
re-opened to visitors. A restoration project from fundraising and
funds from the Churches Conservation Trust has enabled this
deconsecrated heritage site to be used as a community resource. The
restoration programme consisted of internal repairs which included
the uncovering & unveiling of a finely decorated east chancel
wall carried out in the mid 19C by architect Sir George Gilbert
Scott, the cleaning of all marble monuments, a decorative mosaic
and the 19th century wooden reredos, a decorative screen on the
wall at the back of an altar.
William Smith, the father of
Geology died in Northampton, and is buried in an unmarked grave a
few feet from the west tower of St Peter's.
