St Peter and St Paul's Church, Aldeburgh

52°09′18″N 1°36′00″E / 52.154952°N 1.5999055°E / 52.154952; 1.5999055LocationAldeburghCountryEnglandDenominationChurch of EnglandHistoryDedicationSt Peter and St PaulArchitectureHeritage designationGrade II* listedAdministrationProvinceProvince of CanterburyDioceseDiocese of St Edmundsbury and IpswichArchdeaconryArchdeaconry of SuffolkDeanerySaxmundhamParishAldeburgh with Hazlewood

St Peter and St Paul's Church, Aldeburgh is a Grade II* listed parish church in the Church of England^[1] in Aldeburgh, Suffolk.

History

The church tower dates from the 14th century, but much of the rest is 16th century, including the nave, north aisle and north chapel of 1525–1529; the south aisle and chapel 1534–1535; the south porch of 1539 and the chancel 1545. It was restored between 1870 and 1871 by Henry Perkin and again in 1891 by EF Bishop.

Bells

The church has a ring of eight bells, with all but the sixth bell being cast by John Taylor & Co at their Loughborough foundry in 1960 and 1961 as part of the restoration and augmentation of the ring. The restored bells were rededicated on 18 June 1961. Previously there were six bells, which were rehung by George Day of Eye in 1885, with fourth bell recast and treble added by John Warner & Sons to make six. The bells hang in an iroko wooden frame installed at the same time as the bells were overhauled in the 1960s.^[2]

Peals lasting around three hours are rung on the bells most months by members of the Suffolk Guild of Ringers. In 2008 a complaint was lodged with Suffolk Coastal district council by a neighbour.^[3] The complaint was not upheld and dismissed during a debate in the House of Commons.^[4]

Bells of St Peter and St Paul's, Aldeburgh^[5]

Bell	Date	Note	Diameter	Founder	Weight
					long measure	lb	kg
Treble	1961	Ab	23.50 in (59.7 cm)	John Taylor & Co	3 long cwt 0 qr 20 lb	356	161
2nd	1961	G	24.50 in (62.2 cm)	John Taylor & Co	3 long cwt 1 qr 25 lb	389	176
3rd	1960	F	26.00 in (66.0 cm)	John Taylor & Co	3 long cwt 3 qr 21 lb	441	200
4th	1960	Eb	27.50 in (69.9 cm)	John Taylor & Co	4 long cwt 2 qr  2 lb	506	230
5th	1622	Db	28.50 in (72.4 cm)	William & John II Brend	4 long cwt 1 qr  7 lb	483	219
6th	1913	C	31.13 in (79.1 cm)	John Taylor & Co	6 long cwt 0 qr  4 lb	676	307
7th	1913	Bb	35.00 in (88.9 cm)	John Taylor & Co	8 long cwt 2 qr  1 lb	953	432
Tenor	1960	Ab	39.13 in (99.4 cm)	John Taylor & Co	11 long cwt 2 qr 20 lb	1,308	593

Memorials

There is a memorial by Thomas Thurlow to poet George Crabbe (died 1832) and a monument to Lady Henrietta Vernon (died 1786). The church is most famous as being the burial place of the composer Benjamin Britten and his partner, the tenor Peter Pears; also buried in the churchyard are the pioneering doctor Elizabeth Garrett Anderson, the soprano Joan Cross and the composer and conductor Imogen Holst. Britten is also commemorated in a stained glass window by John Piper and Patrick Reyntiens. The church also houses a memorial to Newson Garrett and his wife, the parents of Elizabeth Garrett Anderson.

• 
  Grave of Benjamin Britten
• 
  Adjoining grave of Sir Peter Pears

Organ

The church has a two manual pipe organ by J. W. Walker & Sons Ltd dating from 1884. A specification of the organ can be found on the National Pipe Organ Register.^[6]

References