Church of St Peter and St Paul, Northleach, Cotswolds

Image: © Christine Matthews Taken: Unknown

The Church of St Peter and St Paul in Northleach is known as "The Cathedral of the Cotswolds". The Church as we know it dates from the early 12th century, and was built on top on an even earlier building, also believed to have been a church. The 12th century version of Northleach Church was a fairly simple one, basically consisting of the aisle and not much else. That the chancels were a later addition is immediately apparent from the South Eastern 'quoins' visible in the 'Bicknell' Chapel. Other things changed too, and we know from the scar on the steeply pitched roof of the tower wall that the south aisle was widened twice. The chancel was built in the 1300's, followed by the nave, aisles and sacristy in the 1400's. The overall style of the present church is known as the Late Medieval "Glass Cage" type in which the structure of the church is of less importance than the large, traceried stained-glass windows.

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