St Peter's Church, Petersfield

The chancel is 9.75 metres by 4.27 metres, with modern vestry and organ chamber on the north, nave 18.59 metres by 5.03 metres, with north and south aisles, 4.87 metres and 5.18 metres wide respectively, north porch, and engaged west tower 5.02 metres by 5.18 metres.

The chancel has at the east a modern triplet of windows in twelfth-century style, replacing a five-light fifteenth-century window. In the north wall is a late twelfth-century round-headed light, now blocked by the vestry roof, with inner jamb-shafts continued as a roll round the head of the window, unbroken except for a fillet on the springing-line of the arch. On the north the recess is pierced with a modern arch opening to the organ chamber.

The nave arcades are of four bays, the east arches on both sides being wider than the west. All are round-headed but only the two western arches of the south arcade are old. The columns are circular, as are the capitals of the north arcade, but those of the south are square, with recessed angles, being of somewhat earlier type than the others. They have small scallops and a deep vertical face above them, while in the north arcade the capitals have convex flutes. As already noted, the pillars of the north arcade have been altered and reset, but the two western pillars and the western respond of the south arcade are in their original positions, the capitals being at a higher level than those of the third pillar and eastern respond. The clerestory of the nave is an early 20th-century addition, with pairs of round-headed windows.

The west tower is of four stages, the top stage being of fifteenth-century date, embattled, with belfry windows of two cinquefoiled lights, and the lower three stages are of the twelfth century. At the southwest angle is a stair entered from without the church. The side walls on the ground stage are solid, but in the east wall is a wide semicircular arch of two square orders, dating from the first half of the 12th Century, with hollow-chamfered abaci like those of the chancel arch; and over it a plain roundheaded opening from the second stage of the tower, which must have given access to the roof of the early nave, as just above it is a gabled weathering. This latter is not quite central with the opening, its apex being to the south.

The font dates from the 15th century. It was replaced in 1873 and lay at the side of the churchyard for 70 years before being restored.

The organ was replaced in 1992 by Lammermuir Pipe Organs. There is a stained glass window to Bishop Samuel Wilberforce and another to Mary Sumner, founder of the Mothers' Union.

The altar was created by the noted craftsman Edward Barnsley.

A brass tablet on the south wall honours Petersfield's only VC, Loftus Jones. in the west bay of the north aisle are two brass plates, one with an inscription to Anne Holt, 1655, the other to Dr. Thomas Aylwin, 1704, and his wife Mary, 1693. Many of the memorials have been removed from the nave and repositioned in the far south of the church, many in newly created utility rooms.[4]

The plate comprises a silver communion cup and cover paten of 1568; a second cup and cover paten of 1612, given by Thomas Antrobus, senior, of Heath House; a flagon of 1707; a standing paten of 1721, given in 1830 by Thomas Chitty; an alms dish of 1757, given 1758, and a second dish of 1812, given 1813.[5]

Causton (1844- 1932) was educated at Bradfield College and University College, Oxford.[9] After curacies in Abingdon and Crondall he was Vicar of All Saints, Alton for nine years.[10] In 1909 he became Master of St Cross Hospital, a mediaeval alms house near Winchester.[11] In 1918 his son was killed leading men of the Royal Hampshire Regiment in an attack at Pacaud Wood, Bethune.[12]

Hill (1862-1936) was educated at Blundell's School and Sidney Sussex College, Cambridge.[13] He served curacies in Leatherhead and Godalming, where he formed a lifelong friendship with Leonard Hedley Burrows, later the first Bishop of Sheffield.[14] He held incumbencies at Warsash, Windlesham and Winchester before coming to Petersfield and at All Saints, Hove afterwards.[15]

Thomas (1868-1950) trained at Sarum College. After two curacies in Dorset he was Vicar of Privett before his years at St Peter's (1914 to 1921) and Rector of West Meon afterwards.[16]

Kent (1891-1970) was educated at the London College of Divinity and served curacies in Hull and Wandsworth Common. Kent arrived at Petersfield in 1930 after a decade as Vicar of St Matthew, Gosport. He was appointed Rural Dean of Petersfield in 1936 and an Honorary Canon of Portsmouth Cathedral in 1945.[17] He was also a governor of Churcher's College[18] and Chairman of the Diocesan Bell Ringing Society.[19] After leaving Petersfield he was at St Mary Ewshot until his retirement in 1958.

Hadfield (1908-1962) was ordained in 1937 after a period of study at Lincoln Theological College. After curacies in Manchester and South Shields he was a naval chaplain in the RNVR during World War II.[20] He was the Rector of Botley from 1946 to 1951 and is buried there in the churchyard.[21]

Granger (1922-2005) was educated at Selwyn College, Cambridge; started his ecclesiastical career at St Mary's, Portsea; and held two incumbencies in the Isle of Wight before his years at Petersfield.[22]

Harris-Evans (b 1946) was Vicar from 1999 to 2010. His varied career took him to Bangalore, Clapham, Sri Lanka, Coventry and Brighouse before coming to Petersfield.[23] In retirement he has continued to serve the church, among other things as a human rights observer in Palestine.[24]

Hughes (b 1976) was educated at Exeter University and Ripon College Cuddesdon. After a curacy in Warminster he was Vicar of Blackmoor with Whitehill.[25]