Church of St Peter, Little Newcastle

LITTLE NEWCASTLE - A new church is about to be built in this parish upon the foundations of the old one, which it has been found necessary to pull down. Mr. Thomas Richards has undertaken the contract for the first portion of the works, according to plans that have been prepared by Mr. E. H. Lingen Barker, of Hereford. [Builder 27 July 1872 page 594].

LITTLE NEWCASTLE CHURCH. We have been favoured with the following particulars of the New Church for the above parish which was opened by the Lord Bishop of the Diocese on the 21st of last July: — Between three and four years ago the old Church consisted of a couple of naves of about equal size. The one on the north was erected about the commencement of the present century, and was in a roofless and ruined condition. The other and really ancient structure was in a much better state of preservation the walls and roof, however, were of a barn-like character, and the latter was in a very bad state of repair and every feature of architectural interest that it once possessed, except the upper part of the Font, had been demolished. To make a clean sweep of the ruined portion, to restore the remainder to what it most probably once was and to make it fit for public worship was the task the Rector, the Rev. A. Richardson, resolutely set himself to accomplish and how well he succeeded was acknowledged cordially on all sides. The Nave and North Porch were the first portions carried out, Mr T. Richards, of Latterston, and Mr Wm. Morgan, of Haverfordwest, contracting for and executing the Mason's and Carpenter's work respectively. Subsequently the Chancel was pulled down and rebuilt, and a vestry added, Mr Morgan again contracting for the woodwork, and Mr G. R. Jones, also of Haverfordwest, for the remainder. The following are the internal dimensions of the sacred building: Nave, 30 feet 6in. by 20 feet. Chancel 16 feet by 12 feet 6in. Vestry. 9 feet 6in by 7 feet. Porch 6 feet by 5 feet. The height of the nave up to plate being 15 feet and up to ridge 28 feet. The lower portion of the West Wall and a small part of the South Wall are the only portions of the old work left; standing, if we except the upper portion of the Font, a good specimen of XII century work, which has been fixed on a new Bath stone base. The old Bell too has been rehung in a handsome gablet, surmounting the West end, the top of which is decorated with a handsome iron cross supplied by Messrs Macfarlane of Glasgow. The nave is lighted by five trefoil single lights windows and one two-light, one, the Chancel having one of each and the Vestry a trefoil. The walls have been plastered internally, the arches of alternate Bath stone and brick being left exposed to view which has a very suitable and novel effect. The roofs are stained and varnished timber with plastering between the covering being slate with ornamental tile cresting supplied by Mr T. Peaks, of Tunstall, Staffordshire, the gable crosses being carried out in the same material by Messrs Johnson, of Burgess Hill, Sussex, a novelty which is every day growing into favour for this purpose. The glazing has been done of crown glass with tinted border in diamond lead quarries by Mr Price of Haverfordwest. The nave seats rest upon wooden platforms and with the Chancel stalls are of the usual open description and very comfortable. These with the Pulpit, Lectern, and Communion Table are all from the Architect's special designs, and are stained and varnished. The Porch and Nave Passages are floored with Peakes' terro-metallic Staffordshire tiles and the Chancel with Webb's encaustic ones from the Worcester Tileries. The ornamental hinges for doors were supplied by Messrs Barrett of Birmingham. The accommodation is for 90 in the Nave, and 16 in the Chancel. The architect, under whose designs and under whose superintendence the whole of the work has been executed, is Mr E. H. Lingen Barker, of London. Hereford, and Haverfordwest. [The Pembrokeshire Herald and General Advertiser 4 February 1876 page 2]

Reference    Builder 27 July 1872 page 594
Reference    The Pembrokeshire Herald and General Advertiser 4 February 1876 page 2