Saint Peter’s Church, Claypole, Lincolnshire (Part 1 Interior)

Back in July 2016, we visited St Peter’s Church in the village of Claypole in Lincolnshire.  I think we were passing and I saw the church door open, so needless to say, I was soon inside.  Why I haven’t post this church before….. is maybe because I took way too many photos.  I even went back for seconds, the church warden was cutting the grass and asked if I had seen the graffiti…….no I hadn’t , so he then took me back round the church, and I took even more photos.  There are some churches that are just crammed full of treasures and this is one of them.  This is going to be a three part post, The Interior, The Exterior and Church Graffiti.  

A little history ……Although the church is now known as St Peter’s, early Church records refer to St Peter’s and St Paul’s and this is the likely original dedication.  There was a church in the village in Saxon times, probably built from wood.  In the Domesday Book, there is a references to a church and one priest.  This original church stood for 150 years and then was replaced by a small church, which over two centuries there were three building phases.  In the 13th century, the church comprised of the first tower stages and a small aisle, within the current pillars and as far as the steps to the chancel.  

There was a separate Lady Chapel, erected by Thomas de Sacto Laudo, the South Mediety Rector [1234-1316] close by the Church and this was incorporated into the new building. The three sedilia, south wall door and lancet windows, which are dated 1275 are all found in the modified building dated 50 years later.

In the early 14th century, the nave was built adding the aisles and transepts and another level of the tower, which now houses the clock.  A larger Chancel, together with a sacristy were built to replace the existing one. A spire was added to the tower, a south porch was added as well as the nave battlements. The church door is from this phase. The original roofline of the chancel is visible on the east end of the nave.  The wooden screen and baptismal font date from this phase.  There are five bells in the tower.  

There are literally dozens of carved figures both inside and outside of the building which vary from the appealing to the grotesque.  Inside the church are carved heads only and they depict men, woman, a King, Queen and Bishop.  I really need to return, as I didn’t get all the heads, a case of too much to take in and not enough time.  On the outside are many more, but they are for the next post.