St Peter’s Church

St Peter’s Church, Sark’s Anglican church, was built in 1821, a plain rectangular building.  The church was licensed by the Bishop of Winchester in 1821 but he did not come over to consecrate it until 1829.  The original part survives as the nave, with a Purbeck marble floor of flagstones brought from Swanage.  Then, in 1877, a chancel was added with arched windows, a sanctuary, altar steps and a vestry, thanks to Seigneur Willliam T. Collings.  100 years later a committee of ladies organised tapestry seats for the pews seats and tapestry kneelers.  The church’s first tower housed the island bell, which was cast in 1883.  

Between 1611 and 1674 Sark’s congregation was Presbyterian, becoming Anglican in 1675.  Later, however, between 1730 and 1852 the ministers were either French or Swiss Calvinists.  St Peter’s Church was built as a parish church to re-establish Anglicanism on the island.