Kirkley St. Peter and St. John's church

Image: © Adrian S Pye Taken: 3 Feb 2007

This church, which until the 1970’s was dedicated solely to St. Peter, has undergone so many changes over the centuries. If it was not for the uniqueness of the pinnacles on the 22-metre tower it would be totally unrecognisable to its builders. In the early history of the structure the tower stood at the north west corner of the nave and it was surrounded by open countryside. As the nave was widened northwards it became more central to the footprint of the building. So much rebuilding has taken place that little of the original nave and chancel remain. The present church interior is thoroughly modern and uninteresting to the historian. It has a Victorian apsidal baptistery at the west end of the nave. The original church of St John was built by Sir Morton Peto to serve those living on the south side of the bridge in 1853 it served for just over 100 years as the parish church for north Kirkley or as it is more commonly known, South Lowestoft. The weathercock, which was the first thing on the east coast to greet the sun for almost a century, was rescued from the steeple and is in the Lowestoft museum. It was designed by J. L. Clemence in transitional Decorated style. The tower was unusually situated at the east of the south transept. An aisle was added in 1881 but continual flooding in the 20th century began to undermine the foundations and it was demolished in 1977.

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