St Peter's Church, Devizes - History

History

St Peter's Church was built in the 1860s after Rev Benjamin Dowding, the Priest of St James' Church, Devizes, decided that Devizes needed another church that was nearer to the Kennet and Avon Canal, which flows through Devizes.

The first priest of St Peter's was Fr Harold Grindle, who was loved by the parishioners and who was very giving, and did a lot of work to help the poor. However, he died in 1885, aged 50, whilst he was still the Priest of St Peter's. His successor was Arthur Devas, who also died in office and who built the chancel screen inside the church. However, he never lived to see its completion.

The third priest of St Peter's was Canon Frederick Phipps, who served for 34 years until his death, aged 76. Canon Phipps was a prominent Anglo-Catholic and introduced the use of incense in worship at St Peter's. A photo of Phipps still remains on the postcards of St Peter's, which can be bought from the back of the church. Phipps also served as Rural Dean of Devizes for many years and was well known in the diocese.

Canon Phipps was succeeded by Canon George F. George, an architect by trade who had been in Holy Orders for 18 years and had previously worked in South Africa. Canon George designed the new High Altar and moved the original one into the Lady Chapel.

During World War II, St Peter's Church had three short-serving priests. They were Cyril Reeves Palmer (1939–1941), Sydney Wyman (1941–1944) and George Hamilton Douglas (1944–1950).

In 1950, Douglas Bryant became priest. He was priest of St Peter's for seven years and in that time, he did much to increase the church's devotional atmosphere. He eventually became a Canon of Guildford Cathedral. Whilst he was at St Peter's, Bryant also installed a new electric heating system in the church, to replace the old boiler. Bryant's son, Mark Bryant, is now the Bishop of Jarrow.

Vernon Thomas, who was from Wales, was the next priest, and he launched a Christian Stewardship campaign to raise money for the church. As a result of Fr Thomas' campaign, the church was able to raise enough funds to re-wire the whole church and re-roof the South Aisle.

Fr Henry Maude was then priest from 1966–1974, and was replaced by Fr John Croft, a conservative Anglo-Catholic who was a former Laybrother of the Community of the Resurrection, at Mirfield. However, Fr John died in 1985, aged 58.

Fr John Croft was succeeded by Fr Brian Tigwell, a more liberal Anglo-Catholic who did away with traditions such as Benediction of the Blessed Sacrament that had been advocated by his more Catholic successor (most of these traditions, including Benediction, have now been restored). However, Fr Brian increased the amount of money given to the poor and disadvantaged. He also forged a strong link between the church and the school, and attracted large congregations. He could especially connect to the children and was loved by the students of St Peter's School. Fr Brian also completely re-decorated the inside of the church, and installed a new electrical lighting system. He also served as Rural Dean of Devizes from 1993-1998. Although Fr Brian was fairly liberal on the issue of the ordination of women in the Church of England, it was whilst he was priest that the church PCC voted in favour of passing Resolutions A and B. When Fr Brian left St Peter's in 1999, he gave the church a thurible that he had previously owned as a gift of thanks.

Fr Brian sought early retirement in 1999, aged only 63, and was replaced after an interregnum of one year by Fr Leslie Attwood, a priest from Cornwall. Fr Leslie only served as priest for two years as he was offered another job elsewhere.

When Fr Leslie resigned in 2002, the church then went through the longest interregnum of any Devizes church. It wasn't until 2005 that they finally appointed another priest. During this interregnum, the Assistant Priest, Fr John Goodman, took over the day-to-day running of the church as acting priest. This was a dark period for St Peter's and there were fears of its closure.

However, in 2005 a new priest, Fr Peter Moss, was appointed, and he remains the Priest of St Peter's to this day. Fr Peter has done a lot to improve the worship at St Peter's by introducing the use of the Angelus and focussing on the Communion of Saints. Under Fr Peter, St Peter's has also passed Resolution C, becoming a full member of Forward in Faith. Recently, St Peter's has refurbished their pipe organ, redecorated the entrance porch and replaced the old Stations of the Cross with new ones that were given to St Peter's by the local Roman Catholic Church.