The Church of St Peter’s at Eype

The Church of St Peter’s at Eype is a chapel-at-ease to St John the Baptist, Symondsbury, and consecrated in August 1865.

It was built using a legacy left by the Reverend Gregory Raymond, who was rector at Symondsbury for 57 years at a time when the local population was far greater than today and considered to be increasing. The parish employed a well-known London architect, Talbot Bury. The work was carried out by builders from nearby Shipton Gorge using local stone, quarried in Symondsbury and Bothenhampton. The church also contains some fine stained glass by the ecclesiastical glaziers Heaton, Butler and Bayne. There is also a window by the Pre-Raphaelite painter and stained glass designer Henry Holiday. Although still consecrated, the church is now often used as an arts venue.

The interior walls are Inferior Oolite from Sloes Hill Quarry at Symondbury with dressings of Bath Stone .The quarry from which the Bath Stone came has not been determined.

All text and photographs by PS, August 2017

General view of the church.

Three main building stones were used in the construction of the church. The exterior stonework is rough hewn Forest Marble blocks from the Bothenhampton quarries near Bridport and the windows are Bath Stone.

The font and pulpit  are both of carved Bath Stone with small pillars of blue-grey Purbeck Marble.