St. Peter, Berkhamsted
Royalty and the common man
The church sits alongside the High Street of the little linear town, next to the road that runs down to the royal castle across the railway, canal and river. Chaucer was clerk of works here, though the walls he raised have mostly gone, and the castle has reverted to its motte and bailey origins. Long ago, Northchurch was the town’s parish church, and St. Peter’s grew up in the liberty of the castle. Berkhamsted Grammar School sprawls along Castle St., its Victorian bulk engulfing the original Tudor buildings that still lie along the northern edge of the churchyard, all red brick and burnt headers. The church is large, cruciform and flint, every inch restored. A walk around the outside shows a confusing agglomeration of chapels around the east end and along the south side of the nave, with the mid sixteenth century tower rising over the middle of it all. Inside the west doorway stands the font, a crisp geometric design in coloured marble unmistakably by William Butterfield, the architect of the restoration. The arcades on either side mostly rest on tall round piers, only those to the east are quatrefoil. The royal arms of Elizabeth I commemorate her death; they hang in a late Georgian surround.
Royalty and the common man
The church sits alongside the High Street of the little linear town, next to the road that runs down to the royal castle across the railway, canal and river. Chaucer was clerk of works here, though the walls he raised have mostly gone, and the castle has reverted to its motte and bailey origins. Long ago, Northchurch was the town’s parish church, and St. Peter’s grew up in the liberty of the castle. Berkhamsted Grammar School sprawls along Castle St., its Victorian bulk engulfing the original Tudor buildings that still lie along the northern edge of the churchyard, all red brick and burnt headers. The church is large, cruciform and flint, every inch restored. A walk around the outside shows a confusing agglomeration of chapels around the east end and along the south side of the nave, with the mid sixteenth century tower rising over the middle of it all. Inside the west doorway stands the font, a crisp geometric design in coloured marble unmistakably by William Butterfield, the architect of the restoration. The arcades on either side mostly rest on tall round piers, only those to the east are quatrefoil. The royal arms of Elizabeth I commemorate her death; they hang in a late Georgian surround.
The large west window is filled with rather over peopled scenes of the life of St Peter; like much of the glass it is by Heaton Butler and Bayne at a period just past their best. The fading of detail exacerbates this, though the windows towards the east are of stronger design. The nave is dull, but through the columns the intricate spaces beyond entice. To the south the chapel of John the Baptist is built at an angle, presumably to follow the street line, and is divided from the south aisle by a tall timber mast that branches out at the top like a giant crown post to support one roof over all. The space opened to the transept with a particularly beautiful arcade, though the unfortunate insertion of a jazzy organ case blocks what must have been fine diagonal views through the Early English crossing. Also lost to modern reorganisation is any sight of the chancel; unbelievably this large space, which should be the climax of the church, has been blocked off completely to public view, with the high altar now under the crossing backed by a solid screen hiding the entire east end. Chipboard cupboards divide this into storeroom and vestry, a sadly cluttered come down for the fittings and monuments immured within.
At least the transepts and their chapels are still open to view, with interesting vistas into the two vaulted bays of the fourteenth century Lady Chapel to the east of the north transept, which was itself enlarged later with big Decorated windows. Arches in the chapel are decorated by fleurons and ballflower, and in the transept carved heads terminate the string courses. The floor levels have been raised, messing around with proportions, and there is rather too much visual distraction from bright bitty modern fittings, but this area remains a good example of the sort of spacial complexity beloved of early fourteenth century masons.
At least the transepts and their chapels are still open to view, with interesting vistas into the two vaulted bays of the fourteenth century Lady Chapel to the east of the north transept, which was itself enlarged later with big Decorated windows. Arches in the chapel are decorated by fleurons and ballflower, and in the transept carved heads terminate the string courses. The floor levels have been raised, messing around with proportions, and there is rather too much visual distraction from bright bitty modern fittings, but this area remains a good example of the sort of spacial complexity beloved of early fourteenth century masons.
In the south east corner of the chapel is an archway with steps up to the blocked off chancel; here has come to rest a grand mediaeval chest tomb with ogee niches along its sides, decorated with shields bearing Burghersh and Incent family arms . On top rest effigies of an armoured knight and his lady; his feet rest on a well carved lion and his head on a jousting helm topped by the unusual crest of a balding bearded man. It is said that the tomb is that of a constable of the castle during the 1370s called Henry of Berkhamsted, who wears the coat of arms of the Incent family on his jupon. This memorial and many others here have had a peripatetic existence, being moved several times within the church. Most of the brasses have come to rest in the south aisle; an unusual number of early memorials to civilians within the group are indicative of the money that a royal castle could bring to a small town. Both Thomas Becket and Chaucer must have worshipped here in their time at the castle, as well as the Black Prince and King John of France, who was imprisoned here. In Victorian times Earl Brownlow’s men from Ashbridge attempted to steal Berkhamsted Common from the people of the town, who met up in front of the church each night before taking direct action against his enclosures - a rare example of victory for the man of the common.
A big central town church, and generally open. The parish office is open 10.00-2.00 during the week, tel: 01442 878227.
A big central town church, and generally open. The parish office is open 10.00-2.00 during the week, tel: 01442 878227.
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