PETERBOROUGH SOKE 



PEAKIRK 



addition of the 14th century, with single trefoiled 

 lights, four on the south side and two on the north. 

 In the north aisle is a square-headed window of 

 three lights with modern mullions ; it may be 

 originally of the 14th century, and at the west 

 end of the aisle is a restored 13th-century lancet. 

 The east and south windows of the south aisle 

 are of three uncusped square-headed lights, but the 

 details of the south window are exceedingly 

 good, with well-designed mouldings, and on the 

 head of the window a line of ball flower. The date 

 is c. 1320, and it is an interesting example of a type 

 not uncommon in the district. The west window 

 of this aisle is a widely-splayed lancet, of the date of 

 the aisle. The north doorway of the nave has a 

 plain round head, the arch cut out of one stone, with 

 a label with masks over it ; its rear arch is segmental. 

 It may be of the 14th century, but the unusual con- 

 struction of the outer arch suggests a later date. The 

 south doorway is of the 12th century, moved from 

 the south wall of the older nave. It has a semi-circular 

 arch of two orders enriched with lozenge and zigzag, 

 and a label with a double scale pattern. The arched 

 head is filled in with a tympanum, having three fan- 

 shaped designs in an arched border of cable moulding 

 and pellets. The lower edge of the tympanum is 

 hatched, and below it on either jamb are roll-corbels. 

 The jambs have nook-shafts with scalloped and foliate 

 caps. The porch over this doorway is of the 13th 

 century, and had at first a steep pitched roof, but the 

 side walls have been raised and the pitch lowered. 

 The west wall of the nave is a later example of the 

 type occurring at Northborough, and has three tall 

 shallow buttresses, irregularly spaced ; one at the 

 north-west angle of the nave, one on the central 

 line, and a third a little to the south, carrying 

 down the line of the southern angle of the bell 

 turret above. The west window of the nave, a 

 single lancet, is moved northward to avoid the but- 

 tress. The effect within the church is not satis- 

 factory, as the reason for the lop-sided position, i.e. 

 the arrangement of the central buttress, does not 

 appear. The bell turret has three round-headed 

 openings, one above and two below, and is finished 

 with a gable. 



The roofs of the nave, chancel, and south aisle arc 

 of low pitch, leaded, the woodwork being in no case 

 ancient. At the west end of the north chapel is a 

 screen containing some 15th-century tracery, but 

 otherwise, with one exception, the fittings of the 

 church are all modern. The exception is the 

 lectern, a rare and interesting example of the first 

 half of the 14th century. The old revolving desk 

 is unfortunately lost, but the wooden stem, composed 

 of eight slender filleted shafts with moulded capitals 

 and base, is in fairly good condition, and stands 

 on an original moulded stone base, an octagon set 

 diagonally on a square. Traces of red paint remain 

 on the wood. 



In the vestry is a communion table of the 17th 

 century with turned legs. 



The font, at the west end of the south aisle, 

 has an octagonal bowl with mouldings at the base 

 on a tall octagonal stem. The surface has been 



tooled over, but the font is ancient, perhaps of the 

 14th century. 



In the east wall of the north chapel are two plain 

 stone brackets for images. A curious feature is the 

 quatrefoll opening in the external north-east angle of 

 the chancel, close to the jamb of the east window, 

 and just above the level of the sill. It is 9 in. high 

 by 1 2 in. wide with an internal splay, now blocked 

 up, and no sign of it is to be seen inside the church. 

 All round the opening are pinholes as if for a metal 

 grating. It is about 6 ft. above the present ground 

 level. 



The plate consists of a silver communion cup of 

 1 7 10 inscribed Peakirk 1 71 1, a paten of 1711 

 inscribed Peakirk 1712, and two alms-dishes, one 

 of 1 79 1, the other of 1852, both presented in 

 1852. 



There are two bells, the treble an early 17th-cen- 

 tury bell, inscribed ' Thankes be to God,' and the 

 tenor by Thomas Norris of Stamford, 1677. 



The first book of the registers contains baptisms 

 from 1560 to 1617, and also two marriages and five 

 burials in 16 17. The second book contains burials 

 from 1 561 to 1641, and baptisms and marriages 

 from 1618 to 1 64 1. The third, marriages, baptisms, 

 and burials from 1642 to 1699. Three other books 

 contain baptisms, marriages, and burials from 1700 

 to 1 8 12. 



Mr. Henry Walton of the Borough 

 CHARITIES Fen, who died about 1800, left the 

 interest on ;^loo consols for the re- 

 pair of his tombstone and a grant to the poor. 



Mary Barnard's charity founded by will in 1 837, 

 consisted of the interest of ;^I09 consols which is 

 distributed in fuel to the poor. It is subject to the 

 repair of the tomb of the Rev. Benjamin Barnard. 

 These two sums of stock are held by the official 

 trustees. 



Peakirk Church estate of about seven acres produces 

 rent amounting to £\i^ per annum, which is applied 

 for church purposes. 



Peakirk shares with Glinton in Ireland's school 

 charity. 



By deed dated in 1 898, the Rev. Edward James 

 gave ;^loo consols (with the official trustees) for the 

 benefit of the poor of Peakirk, to be called ' The Mrs. 

 Emily James Charity.' 



Mrs. Tyldesley de Bossett, by will proved 30 

 March, 1867, bequeathed to the rector and church- 

 wardens ;^50O, to be invested and the dividends ap- 

 plied for the benefit of the Parochial National School 

 for Peakirk cum Glinton, founded by deed dated 27 

 June, 1845. A sum of j(^400 consols was transferred 

 to the official trustees in respect of this legacy, and 

 under an order of the Charity Commissioners of 

 25 February, 1896, a sum of ;^2 3 2 16/. io</. 

 stock was sold out towards providing for the enlarge- 

 ment and improvement of the school buildings, to 

 be replaced within twenty-seven years from the date 

 of the order. 



The Rev. James Tomson Smith by will, proved 

 22 August, 1 90 1, bequeathed ;^ioo, dividends to be 

 distributed among the poor, invested in £106 is. 

 consols with the official trustees. 



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