Listed Building record MDR360 - St Peter's Church, St Peter's Road, Buxton

St Peter's Church, St Peter's Road, Buxton, built in 1839. 'SK 067 741: St. Peter's Church, Site of Medieval Chapel: 'A chapel, subordinate to the mother church of Hope, was erected here in the first half of the 13th century and stood until 1838 when the present St Peter's was erected on the site.' (1, 2) 'It is probable that the old chapel that once stood on the site of the existing church was built between 1206 and 1255; it was certainly present in 1260 when the Dean and Chapter gave leave to William Gretton, Lord of Fairfield, to found a chantry 'in the Chapel there erected'. The chapel was closed between 1553 and 1558 as a result of the minister preaching the 'heretical faith'. The chapel was rebuilt in c1595 as it was in poor condition. It had a square tower at the west end, a plain pointed porch, a nave and a chancel. There was a charnel house to the north of the tower. The dimensions of the chapel were as follows: nave 47ft by 17ft 10ins, chancel 24ft 5ins by 13ft. In 1811 and 1815 the chapel was recorded as being in a poor condition, mainly due to a congregation numbering only half a dozen. A brief was obtained to rebuild the chapel, although this did not happen for another twenty years. In 1835 the chapel was described as 'a censure on the township' and it was finally demolished and rebuilt in 1839. Only a few relics, including the font, remain from the old chapel. Much of the stone went to repair Dakin Cottage which was extended at that time.' (3) From the National Heritage List for England: 'BUXTON SK07SE ST PETER'S ROAD, Fairfield 616-1/2/95 (North East side) Church of St Peter GV II Church. 1839, altered 1895-97, 1902 and late C20. By William Swan, village schoolmaster, on site of earlier church. Coursed millstone grit with ashlar dressings and Welsh slate roofs. STYLE: Gothick with Gothic Revival additions. PLAN: west tower and nave. South porch added 1897 and transepts, chancel, south-east vestry and north-east organ chamber added in 1902. EXTERIOR: chamfered plinth. Original nave has chamfered eaves and corner pinnacles. 3-stage west tower has rusticated quoins and single lancets to both lower stages on 3 exposed sides. Third stage has 2-light Y-tracery bell opening to each face, topped with moulded cornice battlements and corner pinnacles. Nave has three 2-light Y-tracery windows to each side and to south a projecting gabled porch, with moulded pointed arched doorway with double plank doors and ornate iron hinges, with date and inscription in gable apex. South transept has pointed arched doorway and above a 2-light pointed arched reticulated tracery window. Beyond south-east vestry has pointed arched doorway flanked by single lancets with a circular window above. Chancel has single side lancets and a 3-light pointed arched window with reticulated tracery. Organ chamber has a single lancet and north transept has a 2-light pointed arch window with reticulated tracery. All windows have hoodmoulds and carved label stops, and the later additions to east have angle buttressing. INTERIOR: plain stonework to original building, later additions whitewashed except for gritstone dressings. Nave of 3 bays. Wooden gallery to west end on cast-iron columns, modified in 1977. 1859 king post roof. Open benches. FITTINGS: include stone font possibly from earlier church. (The Buildings of England: Pevsner N: Derbyshire: Harmondsworth: 1953-1986: 214; The Story of St Peter's Church). Listing NGR: SK0668474142.' (4)