St Peter's, Kings Ripton

The church of St Peter sits proudly, on slightly raised ground, in a central location. A church here was not specifically mentioned at the time of the Domesday Survay in 1086 but there was almost certainly a church here, being one of two mentioned as being in the manor of Hartford. That original structure would have been a very basic affair, in all probability being just a nave and chancel, and nothing remains of that structure.   The earliest part of the present structure is the south wall of the nave, which dates back to the 13th century. The north and east walls of the chancel date from the late 13th century. In the 14th century a north aisle was added, the nave wals were raised and the clerastory added. Early in the 15th century the south wall of the chancel was rebuilt, with the west tower being added a little later. The south porch was built in the 16th century.   The tower is four stage and castelated. It is perpundicular and heavily butressed. There are large lancet windows on each of the four sides of the tower, which are most striking. Two bells hang here and each were cast by William Culverden who was a bellfounder who worked from London between the years 1513 and 1523.

Kings Ripton Cambridgeshire