St Peter and St Paul's Church, Aldeburgh

St Peter and St Paul's Church, Aldeburgh
St Peter and St Paul's Church, Aldeburgh
Map
52°09′18″N 1°36′00″E / 52.154952°N 1.5999055°E / 52.154952; 1.5999055
LocationAldeburgh
CountryEngland
DenominationChurch of England
History
DedicationSt Peter and St Paul
Architecture
Heritage designationGrade II* listed
Administration
ProvinceProvince of Canterbury
DioceseDiocese of St Edmundsbury and Ipswich
ArchdeaconryArchdeaconry of Suffolk
DeanerySaxmundham
ParishAldeburgh with Hazlewood

St Peter and St Paul's Church, Aldeburgh is a Grade II* listed parish church in the Church of England[1] in Aldeburgh, Suffolk.

History

The church tower dates from the 14th century, but much of the rest is 16th century, including the nave, north aisle and north chapel of 1525–1529; the south aisle and chapel 1534–1535; the south porch of 1539 and the chancel 1545. It was restored between 1870 and 1871 by Henry Perkin and again in 1891 by EF Bishop.

Bells

The church has a ring of eight bells, with all but the sixth bell being cast by John Taylor & Co at their Loughborough foundry in 1960 and 1961 as part of the restoration and augmentation of the ring. The restored bells were rededicated on 18 June 1961. Previously there were six bells, which were rehung by George Day of Eye in 1885, with fourth bell recast and treble added by John Warner & Sons to make six. The bells hang in an iroko wooden frame installed at the same time as the bells were overhauled in the 1960s.[2]

Peals lasting around three hours are rung on the bells most months by members of the Suffolk Guild of Ringers. In 2008 a complaint was lodged with Suffolk Coastal district council by a neighbour.[3] The complaint was not upheld and dismissed during a debate in the House of Commons.[4]

Bells of St Peter and St Paul's, Aldeburgh[5]
Bell Date Note Diameter Founder Weight
long measure lb kg
Treble 1961 Ab 23.50 in (59.7 cm) John Taylor & Co 3 long cwt 0 qr 20 lb 356 161
2nd 1961 G 24.50 in (62.2 cm) John Taylor & Co 3 long cwt 1 qr 25 lb 389 176
3rd 1960 F 26.00 in (66.0 cm) John Taylor & Co 3 long cwt 3 qr 21 lb 441 200
4th 1960 Eb 27.50 in (69.9 cm) John Taylor & Co 4 long cwt 2 qr  2 lb 506 230
5th 1622 Db 28.50 in (72.4 cm) William & John II Brend 4 long cwt 1 qr  7 lb 483 219
6th 1913 C 31.13 in (79.1 cm) John Taylor & Co 6 long cwt 0 qr  4 lb 676 307
7th 1913 Bb 35.00 in (88.9 cm) John Taylor & Co 8 long cwt 2 qr  1 lb 953 432
Tenor 1960 Ab 39.13 in (99.4 cm) John Taylor & Co 11 long cwt 2 qr 20 lb 1,308 593

Memorials

There is a memorial by Thomas Thurlow to poet George Crabbe (died 1832) and a monument to Lady Henrietta Vernon (died 1786). The church is most famous as being the burial place of the composer Benjamin Britten and his partner, the tenor Peter Pears; also buried in the churchyard are the pioneering doctor Elizabeth Garrett Anderson, the soprano Joan Cross and the composer and conductor Imogen Holst. Britten is also commemorated in a stained glass window by John Piper and Patrick Reyntiens. The church also houses a memorial to Newson Garrett and his wife, the parents of Elizabeth Garrett Anderson.

Organ

The church has a two manual pipe organ by J. W. Walker & Sons Ltd dating from 1884. A specification of the organ can be found on the National Pipe Organ Register.[6]

References

  1. ^ The Buildings of England: Suffolk: Nikolaus Pevsner.
  2. ^ "ANOTHER OCTAVE IN SUFFOLK" (PDF). Ringing World. 1961: 455.
  3. ^ Clout, Laura (13 June 2008). "Church bells are a nuisance, say locals". ISSN 0307-1235. Retrieved 31 August 2020.
  4. ^ "Bell Ringing - Hansard". hansard.parliament.uk. Retrieved 31 August 2020.
  5. ^ "Dove Details". dove.cccbr.org.uk. Retrieved 31 August 2020.
  6. ^ "The National Pipe Organ Register - NPOR". www.npor.org.uk. Retrieved 8 March 2021.