St Peter's Church, Heysham

It is believed that a church was founded on this site in the 7th or 8th century. In 1080 it was recorded that the location was the site of an old Anglo-Saxon church. Some of the fabric of that church remains in the present church. The chancel was built around 1340–50 and the south aisle was added in the 15th century.[3] The north aisle was added in 1864 and other extensions and restorations were carried out by the Lancaster architect E. G. Paley.[4] At that time an Anglo-Saxon doorway was moved and rebuilt in the churchyard, and two galleries which had served as private pews with their own entrances were taken down.[3]

The church is built in sandstone rubble with stone slate roofs. Its plan consists of a three-bay nave with north and south aisles under a continuous roof, a lower two-bay chancel with north and south aisles under pitched roofs, the south aisle containing a chapel, a south porch and a bellcote containing two bells on the west gable. The west front has a pair of buttresses between which is a blocked Anglo-Saxon round-headed doorway. Above this is a two-light 19th-century window. The east window of three lights dates from around 1300 as does the two-light window in the south wall of the chancel. Built into the chancel walls are coffin lids and the gravestone of a 17th-century vicar. The octagonal sandstone font probably dates from the 16th century.[1] The chancel arch has early Norman capitals with rope mouldings.[5] In the south chancel aisle is a Viking hogback stone and on the west wall is a medieval sepulchral slab with a floriated cross and sword.[3]

In the churchyard is the rebuilt Anglo-Saxon sandstone archway moved from the church in the 19th century. It is listed Grade II,[6] as is the walling to the west of the archway.[7] Also listed Grade II is a sandstone sundial shaft dated 1696,[8] and a medieval sandstone coffin.[9] Also in the churchyard is the lower part of the decorated shaft of an Anglo-Saxon cross on a modern sandstone base. It is a scheduled monument.[3][10][11] In addition the churchyard contains the war graves of eight Commonwealth service personnel of World War I, and three of World War II.[12]

• Grade I listed buildings in Lancashire
• Grade I listed churches in Lancashire
• Scheduled monuments in Lancashire
• St Patrick's Chapel, Heysham
• Listed buildings in Heysham
• List of ecclesiastical works by E. G. Paley

Anglo-Saxon cross base

Media related to St Peter's Church, Heysham at Wikimedia Commons

• Hogback Stone