Explore Religious Heritage Across Europe

An unusually complete Victorian interior with a breathtakingly elaborate chancel, featuring cusped and gilded roof rafters.

St Peter's is an unusually large church for Devon, and is sometimes known as the little Cathedral of Devon. Largely dating from the 14th century it is cruciform in shape and sits in the former park of the Earls of Bath.

In what had been a promontory clifftop overlooking the north of the harbour and estuary of the River Wear, 60 hides of land were given by King Ecgfrith for Benedict Biscop to found the monastery of St Peter in the name of the Archbishop Theodore of Canterbury in 673 AD. This was the beginning of a new project a movement to bring learning, culture and the Christian religion to the north of Saxon Britain.

In a tiny hamlet right on the Welsh border, is a very special church, black and white both inside and out, and wonderfully picturesque and rustic looking. There has been a place of Christian worship in Melverley for about a 1000 years. In 1141 Ordericus Vitalis mentions a ‘wooden chapel on the banks of the river above Shrewsbury'. In 1401 this church was burnt by the Welsh chieftain Owain Glyndwr. It was rebuilt in 1406 from local oak.

St Peter's is a relatively new church, being built because the old parish church of St Andrew, only seating 190, was too small. It was consecrated in 1893 by Rt Revd Dr Edward King, Bishop of Lincoln.

In mid Victorian days, interest in health and in travel coincided with the building of Harrogate around its new Spa and new railway station. Fine houses and streets began to spring up, and it was clear that another church should be built to meet the needs of a rising population. Mrs Mary Anne Fielde donated her house to be the Vicarage, and her garden for a church and a school to be built.

The beautiful church of St Peter in Great Haseley dates mostly from the 13th and 14th centuries and includes some fine Early English and Decorated features.

There was probably a church on this hilltop overlooking the River Exe in late Saxon times, but the first stone church was erected shortly after the Norman Conquest and consecrated in 1073. Very little remains of the Norman building. The church today is almost entirely a 15th century rebuilding, with tall Perpendicular windows making it spacious and light. The tower and chancel are 15th century, while the south aisle and Greenway Chapel are 16th century.

St Peter & Paul-Kirche is located in Betzendorf, a village in Niedersachsen about 10 miles south-east of Lüneburg, and on the eastern edge of the famous “Lüneburger Heide”.

A lovely village church with interesting features to be discovered including early 14th century stained glass depicting three medieval family shields of the Percy, Umfraville and Beaumont families. The yellow silver stain used in this stained glass is quite indicative of its very early age.