ST. PETER OF MANCROFT CHURCH
Was begun in 1430, and finished in 1455. It is esteemed a very handsome parish church: has a fine square tower steeple, 98 feet high, though designed at first to have been much higher, as appears from the double buttresses reaching to the top, and the thickness of the walls: this tower contains an excellent peal of twelve bells, cast by Messrs. Pack and Chapman, of London, in 1775; the Tenor weighing 41 cwt. The whole is covered with lead, and supported by two rows of pillars, remarkably neat and slender, forming eliptic arches at their top.
The altar-piece, representing the story of St. Peter being delivered out of prison, was painted by that ingenious artist Mr. Catton, and presented to the parish by Alderman Starling, in 1768. The furniture of the altar is crimson velvet, and the plate exceedingly grand, all but one cup being double gilt: one piece of it is remarkably curious, being an elegant standing cup and cover of silver, double gilt, weighing 46 oz. 1 gr. 1 pt. given by Sir Peter Gleane, Knight, whereon is beautifully chased the story of Abigail bringing presents to David.
In the vestry hangs a neat old painted carving in alabaster, of nine female saints, probably designed for some altar of St. Margaret, who is the principal figure, and here represented as holding down a dragon; among others, St. Hilda, holding a book and pastoral staff; St. Barbara, a tower and palm-branch. There is also an octavo manuscript bible upon vellum, written in 1340, and a folio manuscript much more ancient, containing all St. Paul’s epistles, with a comment.