St Michael's Church, East Peckham - History

History

In 961, Queen Ediva the Queen Mother gave the manor of Peckham to the monks of Canterbury. A church was in existence at the time of Domesday. The earliest surviving parts of the existing church are the north walls of the nave and chancel, which are of the mid-12th century. The church at this time comprised the nave and a short chancel. The chancel was extended in the late 12th century. By the mid-13th century the south aisle had been built. In the late 13th century, a chapel dedicated to the Virgin Mary had been built to the east of the south aisle and south of the chancel. The tower was added in the early 14th century, and the porch in about 1500. The tower formerly carried a much taller spire than the current smaller spirelet. It was destroyed in a storm in 1704. The weathervane dates from 1928 and is a copy of the one erected in 1704. The remains of a sundial can be seen on the porch; it fell into disuse when a clock was installed in the church.

The vestry was added in the early 19th century. The church was restored by the Victorians in 1853 and 1863. St Michael's was listed at Grade II* by English Heritage in 1959, and it was declared redundant in 1973.

Read more about this topic:  St Michael's Church, East Peckham

Famous quotes containing the word history:

    Don’t give your opinions about Art and the Purpose of Life. They are of little interest and, anyway, you can’t express them. Don’t analyse yourself. Give the relevant facts and let your readers make their own judgments. Stick to your story. It is not the most important subject in history but it is one about which you are uniquely qualified to speak.
    Evelyn Waugh (1903–1966)

    The history of American politics is littered with bodies of people who took so pure a position that they had no clout at all.
    Ben C. Bradlee (b. 1921)

    All history and art are against us, but we still expect happiness in love.
    Mason Cooley (b. 1927)