St. Peter's Church, Leckhampton
Encyclopedia
St Peter's Church, Leckhampton is the Church of England
parish
church in Leckhampton
, Cheltenham
, Gloucestershire
, England
. The church belongs to the Diocese of Gloucester
, and is a member of the developing group of South Cheltenham Churches along with St Philip and St James Church, Leckhampton, St Christopher, Warden Hill, and St Stephen's and Emmanuel.
of Leckhampton, in the 14th century. He and his wife are commemorated by effigies in the church. There must have been an earlier church on the site, since in 1162 one of its priests was fined two shillings for non-payment of dues to the Canons of Cirencester Abbey
by Archbishop Thomas Becket
.
The church was enlarged in the 1860s by the addition of a north aisle and the lengthening of the nave at the west end, under the direction of the architect John Middleton
. With the expansion of the local population, part of the medieval parish containing much of the 19th century residential development was detached to form the new parish of St Philip and St James.
The church has a ring of eight bells, and an organ built by Hill, Norman and Beard in 1936 (modified 2000). The churchyard contains a memorial to Dr Edward Wilson
, who died on Scott's last Antarctic expedition
.
Church of England
The Church of England is the officially established Christian church in England and the Mother Church of the worldwide Anglican Communion. The church considers itself within the tradition of Western Christianity and dates its formal establishment principally to the mission to England by St...
parish
Parish
A parish is a territorial unit historically under the pastoral care and clerical jurisdiction of one parish priest, who might be assisted in his pastoral duties by a curate or curates - also priests but not the parish priest - from a more or less central parish church with its associated organization...
church in Leckhampton
Leckhampton
Leckhampton is a district in south Cheltenham, Gloucestershire, England. The area constitutes a civil parish and is part of the district of Cheltenham.-History:...
, Cheltenham
Cheltenham
Cheltenham , also known as Cheltenham Spa, is a large spa town and borough in Gloucestershire, on the edge of the Cotswolds in the South-West region of England. It is the home of the flagship race of British steeplechase horse racing, the Gold Cup, the main event of the Cheltenham Festival held...
, Gloucestershire
Gloucestershire
Gloucestershire is a county in South West England. The county comprises part of the Cotswold Hills, part of the flat fertile valley of the River Severn, and the entire Forest of Dean....
, England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
. The church belongs to the Diocese of Gloucester
Diocese of Gloucester
The Diocese of Gloucester is a Church of England diocese based in Gloucester, covering the non-metropolitan county of Gloucestershire. The cathedral is Gloucester Cathedral and the bishop is the Bishop of Gloucester...
, and is a member of the developing group of South Cheltenham Churches along with St Philip and St James Church, Leckhampton, St Christopher, Warden Hill, and St Stephen's and Emmanuel.
History
The present church, including the nave, sanctuary, south aisle, and spire, is thought to have been built by Sir John Giffard, Lord of the ManorLord of the Manor
The Lordship of a Manor is recognised today in England and Wales as a form of property and one of three elements of a manor that may exist separately or be combined and may be held in moieties...
of Leckhampton, in the 14th century. He and his wife are commemorated by effigies in the church. There must have been an earlier church on the site, since in 1162 one of its priests was fined two shillings for non-payment of dues to the Canons of Cirencester Abbey
Cirencester Abbey
Cirencester Abbey in Gloucestershire was founded as an Augustinian monastery in 1117 on the site of an earlier church, the oldest-known Saxon church in England, which had itself been built on the site of a Roman structure. The church was greatly enlarged in the 14th century with addition of an...
by Archbishop Thomas Becket
Thomas Becket
Thomas Becket was Archbishop of Canterbury from 1162 until his murder in 1170. He is venerated as a saint and martyr by both the Roman Catholic Church and the Anglican Communion...
.
The church was enlarged in the 1860s by the addition of a north aisle and the lengthening of the nave at the west end, under the direction of the architect John Middleton
John Middleton (architect)
John Middleton was an English architect of the 19th century. He was born in York, in August 1820.-Career:Though only 24, in August 1844 Middleton gained his first contract and was asked to design Cleveland Lodge, an impressive mansion situated directly beneath Roseberry Topping...
. With the expansion of the local population, part of the medieval parish containing much of the 19th century residential development was detached to form the new parish of St Philip and St James.
The church has a ring of eight bells, and an organ built by Hill, Norman and Beard in 1936 (modified 2000). The churchyard contains a memorial to Dr Edward Wilson
Edward Adrian Wilson
Edward Adrian Wilson was a notable English polar explorer, physician, naturalist, painter and ornithologist.-Early life:...
, who died on Scott's last Antarctic expedition
Terra Nova Expedition
The Terra Nova Expedition , officially the British Antarctic Expedition 1910, was led by Robert Falcon Scott with the objective of being the first to reach the geographical South Pole. Scott and four companions attained the pole on 17 January 1912, to find that a Norwegian team led by Roald...
.