Dating back to the early 13th century the parish church of St Peter and St Paul is built from the local ironstone which was quarried nearby, and limestone. Much of the church was restored in 1853. Remains of the base of what is thought to be an earlier Anglo-Saxon preaching cross is to be found in the south east of the church yard. The head of the cross is thought to be that seen in the external south wall. In the late 11th century a small priory of Clunic Monks (never more than four), a dependency of the Abbey of Cluny in France, was established in Preston Capes. It was later abandoned due to noise from the nearby castle of Hugh de Leicester, sheriff of Northamptonshire. Being unsuitable for a monastery the monks moved to Daventry.
When the church was restored in 1853 a Victorian stained glass window was installed, the remains of which survive in the top tracery. This was later replaced by plain opaque glass. However this was replaced by an engraved window by Annabel Rathbone and is a memorial to George St John Ravenshear who died in 1972 at the age of ten and whose face appears as that of St George, in the middle bottom pane. The window was provided by Norman St John-Stevas, who used to live in the vicarage next door to the church.
The pews in the nave are Victorian copies of the those in the chancel which are medieval and have traceried panels and poppyhead bench ends.
Tags: paul, peter, stained glass, tower
Rebuilt from an earlier church in the 14th century, some parts of the south parts are from the earlier period. The porch and tower were rebuilt in the 19th century.
The font is 13th century, the cancel and alter rails 17th century, whilst the east window is modern.
Tags: peter, spire, stained glass
