Listed Building record MDO28560 - Parish church of St Peter, Toller Porcorum

The parish church has walls of rubble and flint with stone dressings, and stone slates on the roof. The chancel was built in the late 13th or early 14th century. Alterations in the 14th century are thought to have included the rebuilding of the chancel arch and widening of the nave, and the addition of a tower on the west and porch on the north. In 1891 the south aisle was added, and there was more restoration in 1894-5.

SY56219799) St Peter's Church [NAT] (1)

Parish Church of St Peter. C14th chancel and nave. C15th West tower and North porch. South aisle added in 1891 when the chancel was also restored. Grade II*. (2,5)

The C12th font is in the form of an antique Roman funerary alter. (4)

Similar information. (5)

Le Pard, Gordon, 1998, Medieval sundials in Dorset. Proceedings of the Dorset Natural History and Archaeological Society 119, 83 (Article in serial). SDO21411.

<1> Royal Commission on Historical Monuments England, 1952, An Inventory of Historical Monuments in the County of Dorset, Volume I (West), 252 (Monograph). SDO97.

'(1) PARISH CHURCH OF ST. PETER stands in the village. The walls are of local rubble and flint with freestone dressings; the roofs are covered with slates and lead. The Chancel was built late in the 13th or early in the 14th century. Late in the 14th century the chancel-arch was rebuilt, the Nave probably widened towards the N. and the West Tower and North Porch, now the vestry, added. The chancel was restored and the South Aisle added in 1891 and in 1894-5 the church was further restored.

Architectural Description - The Chancel (15½ ft. by 12¼ ft.) has a modern E. window. In the N. wall are two windows, the eastern of the 14th century and of one trefoiled ogee light with modern splays and sill, and the western of late 13th or early 14th century date and of two trefoiled lights; in the W. splay is a modern opening to a squint; the 13th century doorway has jambs and two-centred head of two chamfered orders. In the S. wall is a late 13th or early 14th century window of two trefoiled lights with a modern label. The late 14th century chancel-arch probably incorporates late 13th or early 14th century materials; it is two-centred and of three chamfered orders; the moulded responds have each a modern marble shaft and late 14th century moulded capping with a defaced head on the N. and a woman's head on the S. N. of the arch is the restored opening to the squint with a reused head once of two trefoiled ogee lights; S. of the arch is one jamb of the upper doorway to the former rood-loft.

The Nave (32¼ ft. by 19 ft.) has, in the N. wall, two windows largely modern but perhaps incorporating 14th or 15th century material; near the W. end of the wall externally are the lines of a blocked window with a two-centred head; the 14th century N. doorway has chamfered jambs and two-centred head. The S. arcade is modern.

The West Tower (12½ ft. by 11 ft.) is of late 14th century date and of three storeys with an embattled parapet and gargoyles. The tower-arch is two-centred and of three moulded orders, the two outer continuous and the inner springing from attached shafts with moulded capitals and bases. The W. window is of four trefoiled lights with vertical tracery in a two-centred head; the W. doorway has moulded jambs and two-centred arch with the upper member of the plinth carried over it as a label. The second storey has a small square-headed light in the S. wall. The bell-chamber has, in each wall, a window of two trefoiled ogee lights with a quartrefoil in a two-centred head with moulded reveals.

The North Porch has a late 14th century outer archway with chamfered jambs and segmental-pointed head; it is now blocked and has a modern window in the blocking.

Fittings - Bells: four; 1st by Thomas Purdue, 1665; 2nd by T. Pyke of Bridgwater, 1779, 3rd by T. Bilbie of Cullompton, 1767; 4th with alphabetic inscription, by W. Purdue, 16th century. Benefactor's Board: In W. tower, with details of George Browne's charity, painted c. 1774. Font: (Plate 14): In two parts, upper of Ham Hill stone, octagonal, five sides with paterae in panels, 15th century, lower part of white limestone in form of large capital with volutes and one ram's head at the angles and symbols between, moulded base, perhaps 12th or 13th century. Monuments and Floor-slab. Monuments: In churchyard - E. of chancel, (1) to Thomas Ford, 1681, and Elner Ford, table-tomb; (2) to John Fford, 166[3], table-tomb; N. of the chancel, (3) to Antony Symonds, 1626, table-tomb, (4) to John Galpin, 1707, and to John Fewer, vicar of Toller Fratrum, etc., 1758, table-tomb; N. of porch, (5) to Eydeth, wife of Mathew Banger, 1611, table-tomb; (6) to Thomas Banger, 1711-2, and Robert Banger, 1669-70, table-tomb. Floor-slab: to … Banger, 1609. Plate: includes a cup of 1784 given by Mrs Susanna Browne in 1785, a paten of 1778 and a flagon of 1769. Royal Arms: In nave - above N. door, painted on wood, of William IV.'

<2> Newman, J, and Pevsner, N, 1972, The Buildings of England: Dorset, 425-6 (Monograph). SWX1290.

<3> Ordnance Survey, 1:2500 scale, 1973 (Map). SWX1197.

(SY56219799) St Peter's Church [NAT]

<4> Higgitt, J C, 1973, The Roman Background to Medieval Britain, Vol 36, p14 (Article in serial). SDO17858.

<5> Department of the Environment, 1985, List of Buildings of Special Architectural or Historic Interest: District of West Dorset, 57 (Scheduling record). SDO16362.

<6> National Record of the Historic Environment, 884216 (Digital archive). SDO14739.

Record last edited

May 1 2025 12:17PM