The Church of St. Peter and St. Paul, Appleford-on-Thames
The church of St. Peter and St. Paul in Appleford consists of a chancel 24 ft. 9 in. by 11 ft. 4 in., nave 42 ft. by 16 ft. 6 in., north vestry, south porch and a west tower. These measurements are all internal. The nave appears to have been built in the 12th century, and the chancel was rebuilt early in the 13th century. The building has been much restored in modern times, when the nave was rebuilt and lengthened towards the west and the west tower, north vestry and south porch were added. The chancel has a single lancet in the east wall, partly restored. In the north wall is an arch to the modern vestry, and west of it is a small original lancet. In the south wall is a pointed piscina with a pillar and a broken foliated capital. Further west is an early 16th-century window, square-headed and of two rounded lights. The blocked priest's doorway is pointed and perhaps of 13th-century date. Further west is a single-light square-headed window with a blocked 'low-side' window below it. The chancel arch is modern, except the corbels to the inner order, which are moulded and of the 14th century. The axis of the chancel inclines to the north of that of the nave. The nave has at the east end a pair of windows almost entirely modern, and at this end of the north wall is a blocked doorway. The north doorway is of the 12th century, reset, with a round head, and is blocked. The south doorway is similar and has chamfered imposts. West of these doors are four modern windows, two on each side. The modern tower is three stages high and finished with a square pyramidal stone spire. In the chancel are a number of 18thcentury monuments to the Justice family of Abingdon and Appleford. The communion rails have turned balusters of about 1730. The 13th-century font is octagonal above and circular below and has four moulded brackets. There is one bell. The registers previous to 1812 are as follows: (i) mixed entries 1563–4 to 1760, marriages to 1754 only; (ii) marriages 1755 to 1801; (iii) baptisms and burials 1761 to 1812. Historical information about the Church of St. Peter and St. Paul is provided by 'Parishes: Sutton Courtenay', in A History of the County of Berkshire: Volume 4, ed. William Page and P H Ditchfield (London, 1924), pp. 369-379. British History Online http://www.british-history.ac.uk/vch/berks/vol4/pp369-379 [accessed 24 February 2023]. The Church of St. Peter and St. Paul is a Grade II listed building. For more information about the listing see CHURCH OF ST PETER AND ST PAUL, Appleford-on-Thames - 1052766 | Historic England. For more information about Holy Trinity Church see Parishes: Sutton Courtenay | British History Online (british-history.ac.uk). |
