Headon cum Upton St Peter

Features and Fittings

At the eastern end of the north aisle is a blocked up window. In this window is a wooden carving of the crucifixion, with a crown of thorns beneath it. It is said to have been gathered in 1907, from the spot where the Judgement Hall stood in Jerusalem, where Christ was tried.

The pulpit

“Wild man” carving
on the tester

Nearby is the pulpit, which is Jacobean and considered to be very fine. Unusual “wild man” brackets support the tester above it.

Carvings on the choir stalls

The old carvings on the ends of the choir stalls have been re-used from other, older, furniture. They are quite elaborate, probably 18th Century, and may well have come from former chancel furniture, bearing as they do the sacramental symbols of grapes and wheat.

Behind the altar is a stone reredos with three quatrefoils. This looks as if it has been moved here from elsewhere, since it does not quite fit in its setting. It may well be 13th century as the quatrefoil was a common decoration in the 13th. century.  If so, perhaps it formed the side of the tomb slab which lies in the nave. Alternatively, it could have been the front of the original altar.

On the wall of the southern side aisle, is a list of vicars and rectors of this church, beginning in 1246. Headon was most unusual in having both a vicarage and a rectory.

There is a piscina with carved wooden surround. The bowl is modern, the arch in which it is set seems to be original.

The panelling which covers the lower walls of each side aisle is taken from the old box pews removed during the Victorian 1885 restoration. On close inspection, the hinges from the doors to the pews can still be seen. All of the panelling in the nave and tower is from the same source, and was doubtless put there to camouflage the poor state of the walls, as was discovered on the removal of some of the panelling. The panelling in the chancel was new at the time of the 1885 restoration.

The font at it now is The font in its
original position

The font is 19th Century with elaborate diaper moulding to the sides and carved lilies under. Until recently, it stood atop a series of steps, in the centre of the tower, but was moved to the north-west end of the nave in 2005, because the steps were deemed to be hazardous during baptism, for both priest and infant.

Between the main door and the first aisle arch is a wall plaque which commemorates the restoration of the church in 1885. This plaque is of wood, painted black. It reads:

St. Peter’s Headon
This church was reopened after Restoration
on August 12th. 1885
All the seats are free and unappropriated.

NATHANIEL KEYMER. M.A.   Rector
  WILLIAM CARR   Churchwardens
  WILLIAM TWIDALE  

Registers

The parish registers from 1566-1812 were transcribed and published by the Parish Register Society. All old registers have been deposited in the Archives in Nottingham.

The following are still in use:

The marriage register dating from 1839
The baptism register dating from 1948
The burial register dating from 1814