Nominal: 674 Hz Weight: 2017 lbs Diameter: 46.75" Bell 1 of 8
Founded by Thomas Osborn 1790
Dove Bell ID: 6735 Tower ID: 16565 - View Tower Listed: No Canons: Removed Cracked: No
Thetford: St Peter
Diocese of Norwich
Closed Church, 626460
Grade II* listed building
Historic England ID: 1219326
This church is on the Heritage at Risk Register (verified 2025-11-06)
View more information about this church on the Heritage at Risk website
Overview
Grid reference: TL 869 831
An impressive medieval church, traditionally known as the black church because of the cut flint facing used in its construction. Its west tower fronts the corner of King’s Street and White Hart Street in the heart of Thetford, dominating the approach from the south just to the north of the old bridge; indeed it could be considered historically a bridge church. A church of St Peter is mentioned in Domesday, but the present building appears to have been built in the 14th century and enlarged with the addition of flanking chancel chapels and the north aisle in the 15th.
Visiting and facilities
Building is closed for worship
Building
Ground Plan Description and Dimensions
Ground plan:
West tower, nave, north nave and chancel aisles and chancel.
Dimensions:
Nave approx 10m (35 ft) x 6m (19’6ft).
Description of Archaeology and History
A church of St Peter is mentioned in Domesday, but the present building appears to have been built in the 14th century and enlarged with the addition of flanking chancel chapels and the north aisle in the 15th. The west tower was restored in 1789-91 at the expense of James Mingay, the one-armed barrister and Mayor of Thetford, and others. The bells and stained glass in the church also date from this restoration, the latter provide a record of the benefactors. Around this time too the south chancel chapel was demolished, and therefore the south chancel windows are probably of this date, mimicking the south nave windows.
It is clear from the furnishings and fittings here that there was a major reordering and refurnishing in the late 19th century (possibly around 1875, and perhaps paid for by Henry Cornell Fison), as there is nothing of the 18th-century or earlier except the stained glass and bells. In the mid 1980s the north chapel was converted for a meeting room and a kitchen, and toilets were inserted in the small vestry, which was presumably added in the late 19th century.
Exterior Description
The 4-stage west tower is a fine feature with diagonal west buttresses and side east buttresses of three steep weatherings, all with flushwork detail which is presumably medieval in origin. The lowest stage has an ashlar base around an attractive Gothick west doorway with multiple mouldings and ogee head, above which an oval plaque bears the date 1789. The door opens straight onto the narrow pavement of White Hart Street. The lower ringing chamber has one 3-light Y-tracery south window, the upper ringing chamber above this one 2-light Y-tracery west window, the south face has a clock face. The belfry stage has 2-light Y-tracery louvred openings in each face below a crenellated parapet with corner pinnacles which have lost their cross finials at some point.
The south nave wall is pierced by four 3-light Perpendicular windows with complex bar tracery under 4-centred arches, each between buttresses of two weatherings. The north aisle has a 3-light Perpendicular west window, a pointed north-west doorway with double sunk-quadrant mouldings and east of this two 3-light cusped windows under flat hoods. The north aisle wall is rendered. A tall plain brick chimney separates the nave from the north chapel. The north nave wall has four 2-light 15th-century clearstorey windows. The ball finial at the east end of the nave shown in 19th century photographs has been lost.
The north wall of the chapel is pierced by three paired cusped lancets. The chancel south wall is pierced by two late 18th-century three-light Perpendicular windows, copying the nave windows in style but with round-headed lights, with buttresses between. There is a pointed brick doorway inserted in the chancel south wall, which is no longer used. The chancel east window is a pointed 4-light of the late 19th century with multi-cusped heads and Perpendicular tracery in the head, which differs from all the other windows. There is a simple cross finial to the gable.
Building Fabric and Features
Stained Glass
1791
An interesting collection of late 18th-century heraldic glass in the nave windows by G B Burrell
Stained Glass
1771
An interesting collection of late 18th-century heraldic glass in the west window north aisle by Wm Peckitt
Stained Glass
Late 19th Century
Angels in the head of the east chancel window.
Building Materials
Flint
Ashlar
Dressings
Interior
Interior Description
The interior is whitewashed, with exposed timber roofs. Looking east, a blocked 4-centred pointed arch with square double doors inserted within gives access to the north chapel, now used as a meeting room with chairs along the walls, tables in the middle and an enclosed kitchen unit at the east end, with toilets beyond in the vestry. There are curtains to the north wall windows.
Looking beyond this to the architecture, the 4-bay north arcade has double-chamfered arches on octagonal piers, with moulded capitals and bases. The west wall of the nave is blind, with a simple pointed doorway to the tower space behind, which is used as a store room. A small pointed doorway in the north-east corner gives access to a stone newel staircase to the ringing chamber.
Going back to the nave and looking east, the pointed chancel arch is double-chamfered with circular responds; a curtain can be drawn across behind a filigree 15th-century oak screen to define this area for worship. The arcade to the north chapel of three bays of double-chamfered pointed arches on moulded capitals and bases has been boarded in, with glazed panels in the heads. The floor in the chancel is of stone flags, with early 18th-century ledger stones down the central walkway; these are covered by a strip of carpet, and some are cracked and subsiding.
There are fine roofs, the north aisle roof has 15th-century moulded principals and one tier of butt purlins, carved arched braces and 4-centred wall arches. The north chapel has a 16th-century four-bay roof of flat-moulded principals and butt purlins. The nave has an arch-braced roof to a collar, the chancel roof is a plastered barrel-vaulted ceiling, both late 19th-century or later.
Fixtures and fittings
Altar
Simple table
Reredos
1875
Carved oak canopy with semi-relief representation of the last supper, flanked by panels with tracery containing the Decalogue and Creed. Presented along with the lectern by Cornell Henry Fison.
Pulpit
1875
Oak, hexagonal with blind tracery panels.
Lectern
1875
Brass eagle.
Font (object)
1875
Octagonal, Perpendicular style with cusped lancets around the shaft and quatrefoiled bowl panels. Kept in the chancel.
Organ (object)
1890 (Approximately)
Single manual pipe organ by W A Boggis of Diss, plain light wood case, set into the easternmost arch of the chancel arcade.
Rail
1875
Wrought iron scrolling standards, plain oak rail
Bells
Nominal: 1348 Hz Weight: 698 lbs Diameter: 30.38" Bell 2 of 8
Founded by Thomas Osborn 1790
Dove Bell ID: 42415 Tower ID: 16565 - View Tower Listed: No Canons: Removed Cracked: No
Nominal: 1263 Hz Weight: 708 lbs Diameter: 30.63" Bell 3 of 8
Founded by Thomas Osborn 1790
Dove Bell ID: 42416 Tower ID: 16565 - View Tower Listed: No Canons: Removed Cracked: No
Nominal: 1123 Hz Weight: 772 lbs Diameter: 32.13" Bell 4 of 8
Founded by Thomas Osborn 1790
Dove Bell ID: 42417 Tower ID: 16565 - View Tower Listed: No Canons: Removed Cracked: No
Nominal: 1011 Hz Weight: 850 lbs Diameter: 33.75" Bell 5 of 8
Founded by Thomas Osborn 1790
Dove Bell ID: 42418 Tower ID: 16565 - View Tower Listed: No Canons: Removed Cracked: No
Nominal: 897.5 Hz Weight: 925 lbs Diameter: 36.06" Bell 6 of 8
Founded by Thomas Osborn 1790
Dove Bell ID: 42419 Tower ID: 16565 - View Tower Listed: No Canons: Removed Cracked: No
Nominal: 844 Hz Weight: 1098 lbs Diameter: 37.63" Bell 7 of 8
Founded by Thomas Osborn 1790
Dove Bell ID: 42420 Tower ID: 16565 - View Tower Listed: No Canons: Removed Cracked: No
Nominal: 758 Hz Weight: 1449 lbs Diameter: 41.75" Bell 8 of 8
Founded by Thomas Osborn 1790
Dove Bell ID: 42421 Tower ID: 16565 - View Tower Listed: No Canons: Removed Cracked: No
Churchyard
Grid reference: TL 869 831
Burial and War Grave Information
It is unknown whether the building is consecrated.
It is unknown whether the churchyard has been used for burial.
It is unknown whether the churchyard is used for burial.
It is unknown whether the churchyard has war graves.
National Heritage record for England designations
There are no records of National Heritage assets within the curtilage of this site.
Environment
Ancient, Veteran & Notable Trees
Caring for God's Acre is a conservation charity working to support groups and individuals to investigate, care for, and enjoy the wildlife and heritage treasures found within churchyards and other burial grounds. Look on their website for information and advice and please contact their staff directly. They can help you manage this churchyard for people and wildlife.
To learn more about all the species recorded against this church, go to the Burial Ground Portal within the NBN Atlas. You can check the spread of records through the years, discovering what has been recorded and when, plus what discoveries might remain to be uncovered.
There are no records of Ancient, Veteran or Notable Trees within the curtilage of this site.
Renewables
| Renewable | Installed |
|---|---|
| Solar PV Panels | N/A |
| Solar Thermal Panels | N/A |
| Biomass | N/A |
| Wind Turbine | N/A |
| Air Source Heat Pump | N/A |
| Ground Source Heat Pump | N/A |
| Ev Charging | N/A |
Species summary
There are no records of species within the curtilage of this site.
Caring for God's Acre is a conservation charity working to support groups and individuals to investigate, care for, and enjoy the wildlife and heritage treasures found within churchyards and other burial grounds. Look on their website for information and advice and please contact their staff directly. They can help you manage this churchyard for people and wildlife.
To learn more about all the species recorded against this church, go to the Burial Ground Portal within the NBN Atlas. You can check the spread of records through the years, discovering what has been recorded and when, plus what discoveries might remain to be uncovered.
'Seek advice' Species
More information on species and action to be taken upon discovery.
Caring for God's Acre is a conservation charity working to support groups and individuals to investigate, care for, and enjoy the wildlife and heritage treasures found within churchyards and other burial grounds. Look on their website for information and advice and please contact their staff directly. They can help you manage this churchyard for people and wildlife.
To learn more about all the species recorded against this church, go to the Burial Ground Portal within the NBN Atlas. You can check the spread of records through the years, discovering what has been recorded and when, plus what discoveries might remain to be uncovered.
Further information
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