St Peters church at Brown Candover

The old church in which they laid them was pulled down last century, but the new one has some of its treasures. It has, besides this lovely brass of these dear people, two treasures from other lost churches in Hampshire. One is a fine set of altar rails carved with vines and cherubs by an Italian craftsman; the other is a big chair in the chancel, its back curiously carved with figures of Adam and Eve, who stand on each side of the tree of knowledge, down which the serpent glides on its way to that fell deed which, we must believe, has brought the world to this.

St Peter's Church Brown Candover
The present St Peter's church replaces the mediaeval church which stood at the western end of Brown Candover. This church was demolished in 1844 and St Peter's was built the same year. The cost of building the church was mainly borne by the Baring family who owned much land in the neighbourhood and whose family seat was the Grange in Northington.

The church was designed by Thomas Henry Wyatt, a member of a prolific family of architects and he chose local vernacular materials, using knapped flints in courses so as to produce a neat regular pattern. The window tracery and other ornamental details are of freestone. This is a difficult combination of materials to maintain since the weakening of the mortar through frost action causes the flints eventually to fall out. This was the root of the problem faced by the parish in 1979 and a major effort was required to put this right for the next hundred years and to prevent recurrence of a similar crisis by regular maintenance.

The task confronting this small parish was daunting. However, complete restoration was undertaken over a number of years drawing on the generosity of local people, numerous fund raising events and help from the Historic Churches Preservation Fund.

Although the south aspect of the church is memorable in relation to the village cricket ground and the landscape, it is the interior which remains in the memory. It is indeed large and open, and an unsympathetic visitor might find it bare and empty. But if the visitor looks up he will see a magnificent roof structure - which is one of the great glories of the building, and if he looks further he will find that all the furnishings, save the Communion rails, are of the same date as the church, with a unity of concept and forthright design which makes this church a significant monument in the church-building of the first half of the 19th century. The font, octagonal and panelled, was given by the architect; he designed the stained glass of the period depicting the Rest on the Flight into Egypt, the Crucifixion and the Ascension. The 1840s were exciting years of ecclesiastical design and the art and craft of stained glass making were being revived.

The Communion rails which look Flemish are said to have heen brought to St Peter's from Northington church, the parish church of the Grange. They are so fine and of such superlative quality that they would deserve a mention in any context. On the west wall there is monumental brass to a husband and wife dating from the reign of Henry VIII; they stand in prayer, arm in arm, a flower growing behind and between them.

The chandelier lights replaced late Victorian pendant lamps and were designed by Francis Johnson of Bridlington in Yorkshire. The organ was installed in 1985 with a bequest from a past parishioner. The organ casing was also designed by Francis Johnson. Note the organ pipes with transfers depicting animals, birds and wild flowers.

During the restoration of the east end of the church, the nave was reordered and enlarged by the reduction of the choir stalls. The floor was raised and carpeted to enable concerts, school nativity plays and recitals to take place. At least one concert a year is held at St Peter's to raise funds for charities.

REDEDICATION OF THE CHURCH BELLS

Sunday 19th December 1999 - 4pm

The five bells of St Peters were cast in 1844 at the Whitechapel Bell foundry. They were installed in an oak frame in the new church belfry in 1845 for a total cost of £l0-6s-0d and have had little maintenance since then. Even though they are quite light (the tenor weighing just over 6cwt.) they are still very cramped in the small belfry. The bells were rung on a fairly regular basis before the Second World War, and graffiti tells us of ringing after 1945. However in the late 1970s when there were structural problems with the building, they ceased to be rung for several years, and by the time they were inspected by the foundry in 1984 the bells and fittings were in a poor state. Since then they have been rung for church festivals, weddings, and occasional funerals. The new steel frame and fittings now house the retuned bells which will be rung for Sunday services and special occasions.

The interior of St Peters church Brown Candover