Before coming into the church, you pass under the lych gate. There are three words in gold are etched on the "cross beam". They are Mors, Janua, Vitae (Latin for Death, Gateway and Life). "Lych" is old English for corpse and traditionally is where a coffin was briefly rested before being carried into church.
There has been a church on this site for over 700 years. The present Church is a result of major rebuilding in 1820. The Gothic style flint tower was rebuilt to it’s present form in 1895.
Note the 'dormer windows in the roof of the chancel - there are also dormer windows in the nave roof - not a feature I have seen in a church before.
On the south wall of the Chancel are three sedilias (seats carved into the wall) and a piscina (washbasin).
The church has a very old (late 12th century) and rare lead font, one of only 29 in the country (according to the church’s website although other sources say there are more) Over the centuries, it has been reduced in size and lacks both lid and hinge.
A view of the south wall with the dormer window in the roof. I took the picture mainly to show the lights and the cross and crossed keys from which they hang.
The stained glass window behind the sanctuary at the eastern end of the church is Victorian glass, showing scenes from the life of Jesus from his nativity to his Ascension.
By contrast there is a contemporary scene in the first window in the north wall (Lady Chapel): the Millennium window shows four scenes of Walton on the Hill.
The church has some interesting features and was worth visiting. It is a nice mix of some new with the old.
There is more about the church at http://www.stpeterswalton.org.uk/
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