St. Peter, Drayton, Berkshire

Description

The church of St. Peter is a building of stone, consisting of chancel, nave, north aisle, south porch and an embattled western tower containing 8 bells and a clock: the chancel was erected in 1872, chiefly at the cost of the late vicar, and has a stained window representing The Crucifixion: the south porch, added in 1879, is furnished with gargoyles of carved stone, and in the pavement is the following inscription inlaid in lead, "Keep thy foot when thou goest to the house of God I"; these improvements were effected under the superintendence of the late Mr. E. Dolby, architect, of Abingdon: the font is a plain cylindrical work of Norman date: in the north wall of the lady chapel there is an aumbry, and in the south wall a credence and piscina: there are also two other piscinæ in the church: in digging a vault in the church in the year 1814 the workmen came upon some elaborate and beautiful old carvings in alabaster, representing The Betrayal, The Scourging, The Crucifixion (now missing) and The Entombment of Our Saviour, The Adoration and The Annunciation: there are 200 sittings: the churchyard cross was restored in 1871.

Church Records

The earliest existing register dates from 1754, the earlier ones having been destroyed at the great fire of Drayton in the year 1780.