A Brief History of St Peter’s
A brief history of St Peter's shows how much and how many times the church has changed to adapt to the changing needs of the community. You may read through or click to jump to the topics that interest you!
The burial ground and war memorials
20th century additions and stained glass windows
Sunday School and meeting Halls
In 1788 the building began of a Chapel of Ease in Loudwater. 
William Davies, a prudent working man from one of the local paper mills, built it on his own freehold land, without an architect. This chapel saved a 4 mile walk to
A curate's house was built onto the west end for the minister in charge, while the entrance to the chapel was at the east end. On 2nd January 1790 it was licensed for worship and consecrated on 25th June 1791 by the Bishop of Lincoln, George Tomline. The photo shows Loudwater Chapel c.1800.
On 18th October 1818 William Davies died aged 92, having seen the south aisle added in 1804. In 1830 Loudwater saw turbulent times; the area was badly affected by paper mill and farm riots that followed secret meetings in Fennels Wood of workers fearing job losses through mechanisation. In 1835 the north aisle was added to the chapel using the original nave windows crafted by W. Martin and dated 1800. In 1845 Loudwater Chapel was transferred from the Diocese of Lincoln to
The burial ground, containing some graves from the 1820s, was closed in the 1850s. In 1991 the World War II stone memorial was moved from the burial ground to the village green beside the Royal British Legion Hall. A small wooden plaque in the side chapel remembers the dead of the First World War.
In 1883 the original vicarage (attached to the west end of the 
church) was knocked down and a new one built on higher ground to the south. The entrance to the church remained at the east end by means of a projecting porch approached from Treadaway Hill. In turn, this new vicarage (pictured left in c.1890) became the Old Vicarage when it was replaced by the present house in 1972. The Old Vicarage is in daily use as the very busy church office and for various groups which meet there.
In 1904 the chancel, clergy vestry (now the side chapel, with
no record of it being dedicated to Mary) and choir vestry were added to the east end of the church. The intention was to eventually demolish the original Georgian chapel, rebuilding it in the same Victorian style as the chancel. Happily this was never carried out! The sanctuary side windows (the four evangelists) were added in 1919, followed two 
years later by the stained glass window in the side chapel. The view from Station Road in the above photo, taken around 1930 is very different from today's view (left)! The stained glass east window (Radiant Motherhood) was erected in 1953, and the entrance porch added in 1961.
The organ was installed in 1887 with funding by William Ford, owner of the local paper mill. It is a two manual tracker action instrument built by Henry Speechly, typical of many built for village churches in that period, and is still in regular use after major renovations in 1955 and 1987. Choir robes were originally black with white surplices, the ladies also wearing three-cornered hats and white cuffs. In 1971 the robe colour was changed to blue, and in 1987 became maroon to match the chancel carpet. The PA system was installed in 1989 to enhance the sound.
The bell was cast in 1789 by Chapman & Mears of Whitechapel,
At the beginning of the twentieth century, before Christ Church was built, the parish included Flackwell Heath. A Sunday School was held on two sites, one in the Temperance Hall, Flackwell Heath, and the other in a two-storey building across the road from St Peter's (probably part of the 'Happy Union' 
public house!). At some point, the view of St Peter's across the River Wye, from what is now the Loudwater Community Centre, would have looked like the photograph on the right. In 1932 the Sunday School Hall was built, and in the same year electric lighting was installed in the church. Additional space was provided by two World War II wooden huts that had been brought from
Building work was completed in October 2006 on a major project to open the church up and re-order the inside to provide a place for ministry in the 21st Century. Externally, the west end porch was demolished and replaced with a more welcoming glass frontage and a new east window was added below the 1953 stained glass one. Internally, the seven floor levels were reduced to two giving better disabled access, chairs replaced pews (repeating the process carried out in 1903!), carpets replaced stone floors, some structural changes opened up the chancel area and the lighting and audio visual systems were significantly enhanced.
The aim of the church remains the same as that of William Davies, to serve the community of Loudwater.
I will build my Church and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it. (Matthew 16 v18)
