St Peter

St Peter’s is a Commissioners’ church, built with the aid of a substantial grant provided under the Church Building Act of 1818. Its construction cost £18,592, of which over half came from the Church Building Commission. The building is recognised today as a Grade I listed structure.

Architecturally, it bears a close resemblance to two other churches designed by the same architect, most notably Holy Trinity Church in Marylebone. It is built in London stock brick with stone dressings, a hallmark of the architect’s style, and features tall arched windows set within recesses. The west front is marked by a distinctive depressed Ionic portico with a cornice and balustrade, avoiding the proportional difficulties sometimes caused by a pediment.

The church has undergone several alterations over time. The east end was modified in 1888, and significant reconstruction took place in 1953 following severe damage sustained during the Second World War. The interior was re-ordered in 1982. Throughout its history, St Peter’s has upheld a catholic tradition of worship, pastoral care, and mission within the parish of Walworth.

During the Second World War, the crypt served as an air raid shelter, with the wartime rector estimating that between 600 and 900 people sought refuge there nightly. On 29 October 1940, the church suffered a direct hit from German bombs, killing more than 30 people instantly; the eventual death toll rose to 67, with around 100 injured. Restoration was carried out under the direction of Thomas F. Ford, and the church was re-dedicated in July 1953.

The current organ is a Harrison & Harrison instrument from 1949, installed in 2009 after being relocated from the chapel of the former Whitelands College in Putney. It replaced the original 1824 Henry Cephas Lincoln organ, which survived the wartime bombing and was restored in 1953, though its present whereabouts are unknown.

St Peter’s also houses a ring of eight bells, all cast in 1971 at the Whitechapel Bell Foundry. The churchyard closed to burials in 1853 and, thanks to the efforts of Canon John Horsley, was transformed into a public garden in 1895. Funded by the Goldsmiths’ Company and laid out by the Metropolitan Public Gardens Association, it remains a peaceful green space in the heart of the parish.