| Church of St Peter, Great Berkhamsted | |
|---|---|
 Church of St Peter, Great Berkhamstead | |
 | |
| 51°45′35″N 0°33′42″W / 51.759673°N 0.561751°W | |
| Location | St Peter's Church, Church Lane, Berkhamsted, Hertfordshire, HP4 2AX |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Denomination | Anglican |
| Website | stpetersberkhamsted.org.uk |
| History | |
| Founded | c.1222 |
| Founder(s) | Abbot of Grestein |
| Dedication | St Peter |
| Events | 1222: church founded 1230: nave extended 1320: St Catherine's Chapel built 1381: Richard II is royal patron 1350: St John's Chantry built 1546: tower raised 1820: Wyattville's restoration 1871: Butterfield's restoration; Earl Brownlow becomes patron 1960: Church re-ordered 1986: Present organ installed |
| Associated people | John de Waltham, William Cowper, John Incent, George Dorrien, Horace Smith-Dorrien |
| Architecture | |
| Heritage designation | Listed II* |
| Style | Early English, Decorated; much Victorian restoration work |
| Years built | c.1200 |
| Specifications | |
| Length | 168 feet (51 m) |
| Width | 90 feet (27 m) |
| Height | 85 feet (26 m) |
| Administration | |
| Province | Canterbury |
| Diocese | St Albans |
| Archdeaconry | St Albans |
| Deanery | Berkhamsted |
| Parish | Great Berkhamsted |
| Clergy | |
| Vicar(s) | The Revd Stuart Owen |
The Parish Church of St Peter, Great Berkhamsted, is a Church of England, Grade II* listed church in the town of Berkhamsted, Hertfordshire, in the United Kingdom.[1] It stands on the main High Street of the town and is recognisable by its 85-foot (26 m) clock tower.
The building is medieval in origin, the earliest part dating from c.1200, and the architecture spans at least five architectural periods, mostly 14th and 15th centuries. The church was altered greatly during the Victorian era, most notably undergoing a restoration by William Butterfield. It is one of the largest churches in Hertfordshire.[1][2]
Because of its proximity to Berkhamsted Castle, St Peter's has had a long association with Royalty, with the reigning monarch acting as patron to Berkhamsted rectors for several centuries. Many members of the congregation also worked in important positions for the Royal household. The church has counted among its worshippers such notable figures as the poet William Cowper and John Incent, who went on to become Dean of St Paul's Cathedral 1540–1545.
The church today has lost its direct royal ties and now functions as the main parish church of the town of Berkhamsted. The feast of St Peter is celebrated annually with the Petertide fair.
- ^ a b Historic England. "Church of Saint Peter (1342174)". National Heritage List for England. Retrieved 6 June 2015.
- ^ "Hertfordshire HER & St Albans UAD: St Peter's Church, Berkhamsted". Heritage Gateway. Retrieved 25 November 2010.